UK: Union suspends South Western Railway strike scheduled March 9-13 /update 3

Event

Representatives of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union announced on Tuesday, March 3, that it has suspended strikes on the South Western Railway (SWR) service that were scheduled between Monday, March 9, and Friday, March 13. The decision comes ahead of further talks between the union and the railway set for Friday, March 6.

Should the talks not proceed as scheduled, the union may schedule more strikes in the near term.

Context

The RMT union has held several industrial action demonstration since 2018 to protest SWR's introduction of new trains that allow drivers to operate the doors instead of guards. The union is demanding that the railway maintains a guard on every train.

Advice

Individuals in London, and in southwestern England more generally, are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate transportation disruptions, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.