A planned strike on Hull Trains has been called off following the latest round of talks over a pay deal.
Negotiations continue between ASLEF, RMT and the First Group open access operator about the 2022 pay award.
Action had been scheduled for Sunday, June 26, co-ordinating with 12 other companies and Network Rail in a week of national activity, in what has been described as the biggest dispute since 1989.
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Hull Trains has now avoided such action as “meaningful talks” continue, with the latest discussions held on Friday.
A spokesperson for Hull Trains said: “We are keen to reach an agreement that is acceptable to both sides and further talks will be arranged shortly.”
Formal notice from RMT has been received about intention to strike on Saturday, July 2, with the spokesperson adding: “Discussions about calling this action off are underway and we will provide progress updates on this early next week.”
Action elsewhere has already led to the operator bringing in a significantly reduced timetable, with key days being Tuesday, June 21, Thursday, June 23 and Saturday, June 25. It will only operate between Doncaster and London King’s Cross between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
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The company has also warned that days either side of the action are likely to be affected.
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Unions representatives have been critical of levels of profits made through the pandemic, however Hull Trains saw major losses as it is not a franchised operation and relies purely on ticket sales, with three spells of hibernations for the direct-to-London services as lockdowns hit.
Ahead of the hold-off, Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, said: "The latest Department for Transport statistics show that passenger numbers reached the milestone of 90 per cent of pre-covid levels on Thursday, May 19 – and went up to 92 per cent over the next three days. That’s great news – not just for the railways, but for Britain.
"But this blows the argument that 'there is no money' right out of the water. There is, now the railway is returning to normal, because passengers are back and services are packed again.
"Many of our members have not had a pay rise since 2019. We will fight to maintain the pay, terms and conditions, and the pensions of our members. We are not naïve. The train companies are doing very well out of Britain’s railways – with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers – and we are not going to work longer, for less. We want a pay rise, for train drivers, who kept people and goods moving during the pandemic, in line with the cost of living, so that we are not, in real terms, worse off."
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch had said: "Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.
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"We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1 per cent and rising."
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