Pay offer bid to halt Tube strike

Tube bosses have tabled a new pay offer in a desperate attempt to prevent next week's 48-hour strike.

The RMT union was today meeting to decide whether to accept the offer and call off the strike due to begin 7pm on Tuesday - action which would bring the network, used by 3.5 million passengers a day, to a halt.

A crucial meeting between union leaders and London Underground broke up after four hours to allow negotiators to consider the offer.

LU has offered a four-year deal consisting of a 1.5 per cent pay rise in year one and RPI plus 0.5 per cent for the remaining years. This replaces a five-year deal with one per cent in the first year then RPI plus 0.5 per cent for the rest.

Richard Parry, LU interim managing director, said: "There is now no reason whatsoever for the RMT leadership to continue to call for strike action next week. They should call it off immediately."