Tube strike suspended after new offer

A 48-hour strike that would have affected Underground services later this week has been suspended following a new offer to the union involved - the RMT, it was announced tonight.

Union members working for Underground maintenance company Tube Lines will vote on an offer which the RMT said would deliver a pay increase of 4.2 per cent this year and an agreement on the protection of jobs.

The strike had been due to start at 7pm on Wednesday and would have hit the Tube's Jubilee, Piccadilly and Northern lines.

The RMT is recommending acceptance of the offer which includes above-inflation pay deals for 2011 and 2012.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Once again, RMT members have shown that if you are prepared to stand together and take action in defence of pay, jobs and working conditions you can win and there is no doubt that that message will be picked up by other public sector workers who are being told that they have to take the hit to pay for the mess left behind by the bankers bail-out scandal.

"The only defence that working people have against the cuts and austerity measures of the ConDems (the coalition Government) is a strong, fighting trade union and the Tube Lines workers have proved that point in shovel loads today."