Rail union calls off two strike days while Avanti West Coast talks continue

Strikes planned by workers on Avanti West Coast over the next two Sundays have been called off.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have been taking industrial action in a dispute over rest-day working.

A series of Sunday walkouts was due to continue for the next few months.

The union announced that strikes planned for the next two Sundays have been suspended to allow intensive talks to take place following recent approaches by Avanti.

Future strikes are still in place.

An RMT spokesperson said: “This suspension reflects our good will and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest day working dispute.

“We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks.”

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the RMT has made the decision to suspend planned industrial action on Sunday 19 and Sunday 26 January. We remain open to working with them to resolve this dispute.

“Although the announcement comes too late for us to run a full timetable this Sunday with just 48 hours’ notice, it does mean we will look at running some extra services on that day.

“On the following Sunday we will be able to run our regular services but there are engineering works on the West Coast Main Line. Our advice to customers travelling this weekend is to check on the day you travel.”