23 December 2022
RMT Press Office:
Government ministers have abdicated their responsibility to sort out strikes by blocking rail employers from making a deal with RMT.
Since meeting the minister last week there have been no further scheduled negotiations to try to prevent upcoming strikes on Network Rail.
The union has done deals in every part of the railway network where the Department for Transport is not involved.
Both pay offers from Network Rail and the train operating companies are well below what has been agreed in Scotland, Wales and where metro mayors have control of the rail franchise.
The rejected offer on Network Rail was also conditional on ripping up working conditions for railway workers, including unsafe practices for the travelling public such as a 50% cut in scheduled maintenance tasks and an unacceptable hike in unsocial hours.
On the train operators, RMT members would have been forced to accept a paltry pay sum, Driver Only Operations (DOO) across the whole network, and the closure of all ticket offices creating an inaccessible and less safe railway.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "The union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute.
"But until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and condition of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary."
END
Notes:
Pay deals secured by the RMT:
- Eurostar International: 8% pay rise
- Eurostar - Mitie security: 10% pay rise for all staff and 29% for the lowest paid.
- Scotrail: 7-9% backdated to April this year
- Transport for Wales: Between 6.6% and 9.5% pay rise
- Merseyrail: 7% pay rise
- MTR Crossrail: 8.2% (2021-2022)
- Docklands Light Railway: 9.25%
- London Underground: 8.4% (2021)
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