Sadiq Khan: 'I've helped save London tens of millions by reaching Tube strike deal'

'Constructive discussions': Mayor Sadiq Khan
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Pippa Crerar6 February 2017

Sadiq Khan today suggested he had saved London tens of millions of pounds that would have been lost to strikes by talking directly to the Tube unions.

The Mayor said “constructive discussions” had resulted in the unions suspending three days of industrial action that had been planned for this week.

The RMT, which represents station staff, said it was suspending the strikes because London Underground agreed to hire additional 325 members of staff, of which 200 will be full time. But Tories claimed the action was averted becaused Mr Khan had “bowed to his union friends”, and advised him to take a less “self-congratulatory” tone.

They warned his decision to spend millions of pounds reinstating hundreds of “unnecessary” Tube station jobs was “capitulation” to their demands.

But Mr Khan, who has invited Tube union bosses for “cups of tea” and discussions at City Hall, appeared to feel his policy had been vindicated.

“The only way to resolve industrial disputes is by engaging and by talking. I am pleased to see that approach has resulted in the suspension of two series of strikes that had the potential to cause huge disruption for Londoners and would have cost our economy tens of millions of pounds,” he said

“We will continue to ensure all sides are able to take part in the kind of constructive discussions that allow them to settle their differences and prevent strike action.”

Transport for London estimates that they will avoid losing revenue of up to £7.5 million, while the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry believes the strike would have cost the wider economy tens of millions of pounds.

Over the weekend it emerged that 10 days of planned strikes on the Woolwich ferry have also been suspended to allow further talks to take place.

Tory London Assembly member Keith Prince said: “These strikes were averted because Sadiq Khan bowed to his union friends and agreed to spend millions of pounds reinstating hundreds of unnecessary jobs. That is not ‘good negotiation’, it’s capitulation.

“The Mayor will no doubt be changing his self-congratulatory tone when he is forced to make cuts to more important services within TfL instead.”

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