The RMT executive today agreed to accept a revised offer to more than 570 senior conductors that includes the phased introduction of a 35-hour week and a range of safeguards and guarantees on disciplinary and new technology issues.

It also agreed to accept in principle a separate offer to more than 500 supervisory, station, clerical and retail workers, pending the outcome of a further meeting next week.

"After extensive talks with Central Trains yesterday our negotiating team concluded that sufficient progress had been made in both disputes to allow them to recommend them lifting the threat of strike action," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"The union's executive has therefore suspended the six days of strike action scheduled for the next three weekends.

"Our members are to be congratulated for standing solidly together and for backing their union with the superb ballot results that brought the company back to the talks table," Bob Crow said.
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Notes to editors:More than 570 senior conductors were set to strike on July 29 and August 5 and 12 in a dispute over the introduction of a 35-hour week, disciplinary issues, the supervisory regime and new technology. They voted by 196 to 61 to strike.

The more than 500 supervisory, station, clerical and retail grades members were to strike on July 28 and August 4 and 11 in a separate dispute over disciplinary and new-technology issues. They voted by 147 to 47 to strike.