UK rail infrastructure manager Network Rail has made a new pay offer to the RMT union in a bid to halt a series of nationwide strikes that have caused huge disruption for train travellers.
The RMT, which represents around 40,000 rail workers, has held a series of crippling nationwide stoppages since last summer in a long-running dispute with Network Rail and train operators over pay, conditions and jobs.
An RMT spokesperson said the union had received the revised offer and its national executive committee (NEC) would now “consider its contents”.
“No decision has been made on the proposals, nor any of the elements within them,” added the spokesperson. “We will now consult members through branch and regional meetings. An update on our next steps will be forthcoming in due course.”
The UK’s rail network has also been disrupted by separate strikes by the ASLEF train drivers’ union and the TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs Association), which are involved in their own separate disputes over pay, jobs and working conditions.
ASLEF workers are holding their latest strikes on Wednesday and Friday (1 and 3 February) after rejecting train companies’ most recent proposal earlier this month. This week’s strike is causing “severe disruption to some parts of the rail network”, according to the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators.
In a separate development, rail companies have also made two new offers to the rail industry members of the TSSA this week, which includes an increase of around 13 per cent over two years for the lowest paid workers.
TSSA organising director Luke Chester said: “There has been progress on a number of fronts - on pay, job security and the future working conditions of many members.
“We will now work with our reps to fully consider whether the terms being offered are fair and good enough to put to members in a vote.”