RMT rejects ‘dreadful’ pay offers from Network Rail and train operators
The RMT union has rejected “dreadful” pay offers from Network Rail and train operators, prolonging the long-running dispute on the railway.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, said it had consulted in-depth with its 40,000 rail members, and the “loud and clear” message was to reject the offers.
A smaller union, the TSSA, said it would put the offer from train operators to a referendum of its members.
The RMT’s national executive committee met on Friday to discuss the branch members’ responses to the offers, amounting to a 9% increase over 2022 and 2023, but with significant changes to terms and conditions.
The proposals were understood to have been met with anger by many staff around the country, with some branches urging increased action. Despite the absolute increase, the pay will amount to a real-terms pay cut for many, with more antisocial hours and less job security.
The transport secretary, Mark Harper, said this week the offers from industry to the two sets of rail workers were the “best and final”.
Lynch said: “We have carried out an in-depth consultation of our 40,000 members and the message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers. Our members cannot accept the ripping up of their terms and conditions or to have safety standards on the railway put into jeopardy under the guise of so-called modernisation.
“If our union did accept these offers, we would see a severe reduction in scheduled maintenance tasks, making the railways less safe, the closure of all ticket offices and thousands of jobs stripped out of the industry when the railways need more investment not less.”
The union has not called further strikes but said it would re-ballot in May to extend the six-month mandate. The RMT
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