Subway strikes threat suspended

Glasgow subway staff had been due to strike on Monday

Planned industrial action on Glasgow's subway system next Monday has been suspended following talks between transport and union chiefs.

Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) has put new proposals relating to holiday rosters to the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G).

The T&G agreed to suspend industrial action and the proposals will be put to subway staff on 18 March.

The long-running dispute has been over pay and conditions.

The move came on the back of requests by the T&G for the company to restore off-duty and holiday rosters for its employees.

'Positive stage'

The dispute involves drivers, ticket collectors and safety workers, and began on 20 January after employees rejected a two-year pay offer and objected to changes in holiday cycles.

The proposal followed Thursday night talks between the two sides which ended without agreement.

Douglas Ferguson, SPT's director of operations, said, "I am pleased that we have reached a positive stage in our negotiations with the union and that the travelling public will not have to face further disruption on Monday.

"We will be taking further proposals to staff on March 18 on productivity and flexibility which we hope will provide the basis for a long term solution to the dispute."

As a condition of accepting the resolution negotiated by conciliation service Acas, the T&G reserved the right to take further industrial action up until 30 April 2005 without re-balloting its members.

The union has held a number of walkouts which have disrupted the journeys of more than 40,000 commuters on each occasion.