PAY UPDATE – TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES AND NETWORK RAIL

17^th July 2024

 

TO ALL TRAIN OPERATING COMPANY & NETWORK RAIL MEMBERS

 

Dear RMT Member

 

PAY UPDATE – TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES AND NETWORK RAIL

 

I am writing to update you on the pay issues in both Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies (TOCs). You will be aware that discussions on pay have been paused during the course of the General Election and the formation of the new government and today’s King’s Speech in Parliament which sets out the Labour government’s initial programme of legislation.

 

I am glad to say that there are measures on public ownership of the railways which we can welcome. A step towards the full public ownership as well as the New Deal for Workers that will bring clear benefits to our members and working people generally.

 

Last week I met with the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, and I am glad to report that the meeting was of a completely different tone to what we have endured from the Tories over the last few years. I pressed the point that we must settle the pay issues that we have been in dispute over during the last few as soon as possible and that the pay proposals must be straightforward, unconditional and without strings attached. This would mean that all the attacks on our terms and conditions, working practices, job security and pensions would have to be removed.

 

This position is fully understood by the Secretary of State and she assured me that discussions will start as soon as possible for the TOCs. I will be engaging with senior DfT officials in the next few days to set up a discussion process on the pay settlements and will report back as soon as there are developments.

 

On Network Rail there have been negotiating sessions and these will continue at a further meeting on 31^st July.  The position we will be taking, which is fully understood by both NR Management and the ministerial team, is again that we want a straightforward, unconditional, no-strings proposal.

 

I am determined to conclude this process for our members at both Network Rail and the TOCs as soon as possible.  If we are successful in securing proposals on the basis I have set out, we will have seen off and faced down all of the attacks mounted on us by the Tories and their allies in the rail industry companies, and we will be on the path to a publicly owned railway. We are in that position because of the strength, determination and resilience you have shown throughout our recent campaigns, disputes and strike action.

 

Thank you once again.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary