A Morden Underground station operator is at the centre of an industrial dispute that almost threatened to cripple London's public transport network.

On Tuesday, a two-day Tube strike was called off by the RMT [Rail, Martitime and Train Drivers union], after London Underground agreed to re-employ a driver, Eamonn Lynch, who was claiming unfair dismissal.

But the threat of strike action remained because another union member, Arwyn Thomas, was still in the middle of an employment tribunal.

It was alleged Mr Thomas, during a strike at Morden Tube station on October 4, swore at a Tube Lines employee who was working at the gate line.

Mr Thomas denied the bad language but admitted calling the employee a “scab” and a “strike-breaker”.

A long-standing activist, Mr Thomas was described by his union superior as a “thorn in management’s side” and was instrumental in making the Morden depot strike successful.

The RMT’s general secretary, Bob Crow, said: “This dispute has only ever been about securing justice for our members who have been unfairly dismissed.

“We now also have an agreement to enter into further discussions with relation to Arwyn Thomas aimed at resolving his unfair dismissal case in advance of his employment tribunal.

“As a result we agreed to suspend the action to allow those discussions to take place next week.”

The week-long strikes had been due to take place on May 16 and June 9.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesman said a full investigation into Mr Thomas’s behaviour was carried out as part of the disciplinary process and that TfL would not tolerate aggressive or bullying behaviour towards staff.

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