Let's call the whole thing off: Tube strikes may or may not go ahead

Two weeks of planned Tube strikes looked close to being called off this week after sacked tube driver Eamonn Lynch won his employment tribunal case for unfair dismissal. London Underground announced earlier to today that the strikes would not go ahead from next week, but the RMT union has yet to confirm this is the case.

London Underground has agreed to reinstate Mr Lynch following dismissal for alleged safety breaches. The RMT contended that Mr Lynch's sacking was in fact for trade union activities and not for any breach of safety regulations. An employment tribunal found in Mr Lynch's favour last week.

''Following a meeting with the RMT leadership this morning, the RMT have

withdrawn their threat of industrial action, and we have avoided significant

disruption for London," said LU's managing director Mike Brown this morning. However, the union have not to date confirmed the suspension of strike action.

My Lynch's union expressed continued concern about the tribunal's ruling

that the driver was unfairly dismissed for his trade union activities."The

tribunal has found in favour of the RMT, justice has been done and now

we need to meet with the company to finalise arrangements that can

enable us to move forwards as quickly as possible," said RMT General Secretary Bob Crow in a press statement.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has faced criticism for refusing to meet union leaders and failing to take action to prevent the planned strikes.

If the strikes go ahead as planned, drivers will walk out from next Monday 16 May to Friday 20 May, and again from Monday 13 June to Friday 17 June. Transport for London has stated that in the event of strike action it will run as many tube services as possible, and provide extra bus and river services to help Londoners get to work.

Image: Mark Hillary