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| Rail strikes formally suspended | Rail strikes formally suspended |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Strikes planned by signal workers in Scotland from Friday have been formally suspended, the RMT union has announced. | Strikes planned by signal workers in Scotland from Friday have been formally suspended, the RMT union has announced. |
| The decision was taken by the union's executive committee at a meeting in London. | The decision was taken by the union's executive committee at a meeting in London. |
| The union said it had won an undertaking from Network Rail about the introduction of a 35-hour week. | The union said it had won an undertaking from Network Rail about the introduction of a 35-hour week. |
| But it warned that the strikes would be reinstated if the company reneged on the deal. Last week, a 48-hour strike crippled services in Scotland. | But it warned that the strikes would be reinstated if the company reneged on the deal. Last week, a 48-hour strike crippled services in Scotland. |
| Members of the RMT had been due to walk out for 48 hours from noon on Friday, followed by another 48-hour stoppage from Monday, which would have affected tens of thousands of passengers. | Members of the RMT had been due to walk out for 48 hours from noon on Friday, followed by another 48-hour stoppage from Monday, which would have affected tens of thousands of passengers. |
| Any further attempt to undermine or renege on the agreement will be met with the re-instatement of strike action Bob CrowRMT | Any further attempt to undermine or renege on the agreement will be met with the re-instatement of strike action Bob CrowRMT |
| RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We now have an undertaking from Network Rail that they will implement the 35-hour week deal in full and, after consulting our members, the executive has agreed to suspend the strikes scheduled over the coming week. | RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We now have an undertaking from Network Rail that they will implement the 35-hour week deal in full and, after consulting our members, the executive has agreed to suspend the strikes scheduled over the coming week. |
| "Details of rosters will now be concluded in local talks, which we now expect to be concluded swiftly and in line with the UK-wide agreement, which envisages banked hours to be converted into extra rest days. | "Details of rosters will now be concluded in local talks, which we now expect to be concluded swiftly and in line with the UK-wide agreement, which envisages banked hours to be converted into extra rest days. |
| "We obviously now hope that the matter can be put behind us, but the union has warned that any further attempt to undermine or renege on the agreement will be met with the re-instatement of strike action." | "We obviously now hope that the matter can be put behind us, but the union has warned that any further attempt to undermine or renege on the agreement will be met with the re-instatement of strike action." |
| Local RMT negotiators reached a settlement with management on Monday. | Local RMT negotiators reached a settlement with management on Monday. |
| 'Harmed economy' | |
| David Simpson, Network Rail's route director for Scotland said: "We are pleased the RMT has finally, officially suspended this strike action after reaching agreement with us three days ago. | |
| "The agreement the RMT signed up to on Monday is exactly the same as the one that they rejected seven days previously. | |
| "Network Rail is now beginning local negotiations to implement the 35-hour week for signallers in Scotland in the areas where arrangements have not already been agreed. | |
| "The RMT's industrial action was unnecessary, disproportionate and extremely disruptive to rail passengers. | |
| "It also harmed the Scottish economy and the reputation of the railway in Scotland." | |
| The union had warned that the strikes could spread to the rest of the UK. |