The first signs of a possible resolution to the bitter industrial dispute over the Night Tube arrangements emerged this morning with one of the four unions involved backing off from supporting the strike action pencilled in for later this month.
Unite and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) have all confirmed walkouts from 1830 on Tuesday 25 August until 1829 on Wednesday 26 August, then again on 1830 on Thursday 27 August until 1829 on Friday 28 August.
However the train drivers union, Aslef, while retaining a strong mandate for strike action is back at the negotiating table and has not officially supported the late August walkout.
Sources revealed the union has tabled face-to-face talks with London Underground bosses this Friday, without the arbitration service Acas, following initial signs of conciliatory action from Tube bosses.
Transport Network understands Transport for London (TfL) has suggested to unions it will postpone the scheduled 12 September start date for the Night Tube and has withdrawn earlier rosters after pressure from unions for guarantees on working hours.
Aslef is pushing for written guarantees on working hours, which it claims have so far not been given.
A TfL spokesman said: ‘We are working towards the 12 September for the delivery of Night Tube and are operationally ready, but, as we have always said, this cannot be at any cost.’
The transport authority also put out a statement this week attacking the wider deamnds from unions, which were said to cost around £1.4bn over the life of the TfL Business Plan to 2023/24.
'This would demand either an immediate extra fares increase of 6.5% on top of the annual increases already assumed or a wholesale scaling back of vital plans to modernise Tube lines, including the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines,' TfL said.
TfL stated these wider demands include a reduced 32 hour, four day week for the same full time salary, as well as payments to be made to staff on lines where the Night Tube will not even be operating.
They also include the re-hiring of 'hundreds of staff for back office jobs that Oyster, contactless payment and other modernisation mean no longer need to be performed' TfL said.
However, it appears the unions have differing demands in negotiations, with the RMT pushing for an 'indefinite suspension' of the Night Tube, while Aslef said it was in favour of the idea.
Following reports that London mayor Boris Johnson also said the date could be moved, it now looks increasingly likely the launch of the Night Tube could be postponed.
