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Railway strike action called off | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Strike action on the busy National Express East Anglia rail line has been called off by unions. | |
Aslef, the RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association had begun a third 48-hour strike on Thursday. | |
But the unions said industrial action would be suspended from midnight and claimed a major victory in the fight for improved pay and conditions. | |
The strike hit trains between London and Essex, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and services in Hertfordshire. | |
The industrial action was part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions. | |
The latest strike started at 0001 BST on Thursday and had been due to end at 2359 BST on Friday. | |
No-one should be in any doubt that this improved offer has been won through the commitment and determination of our members Bob Crow, RMT general secretary | |
It had resulted in fewer than 5% of National Express of services being able to run. | |
Services should now run as normal on Friday with union members due to return to work. | |
RMT general secretary Bob Crow earlier said National Express management had offered a 3.5% pay increase over two years, with the potential for a further 0.5% on top. | |
After the strike was called off he said: "No-one should be in any doubt that this improved offer has been won through the commitment and determination of our members on National Express East Anglia to secure a fair deal. | |
"It's their sacrifice over the past three weeks that has forced the company's hand and they can be proud of what they have achieved. | |
One rail passenger said she was losing patience with the rail strikers | |
"We will now be consulting again with the company representatives and if our members want a final say on the revised deal then we will give them that in a referendum ballot." | |
Aslef said the decision to suspend the strike followed talks which led to negotiators securing an offer which they expected members to accept. | Aslef said the decision to suspend the strike followed talks which led to negotiators securing an offer which they expected members to accept. |
General secretary of Aslef Keith Norman said: "I feel we have secured a reasonable pay increase given the general economic climate and the financial position of National Express East Anglia." | |
National Express East Anglia said it welcomed the move by the unions to suspend the strike. | |
Managing director Andrew Chivers said: "We will endeavour to run the best service possible tomorrow, though there may be some residual delays and alterations to services as we restore the normal service. | Managing director Andrew Chivers said: "We will endeavour to run the best service possible tomorrow, though there may be some residual delays and alterations to services as we restore the normal service. |
"We would like to thank our customers for their patience during the industrial action." | "We would like to thank our customers for their patience during the industrial action." |