12 December 2022
RMT Press Office:
Network Rail members emphatically reject company offer
RMT members from Network Rail have voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer from company bosses.
It means that all strike action this week, from 6pm Christmas Eve until 6am on December 27 and into the new year, remains on for both Network Rail and the 14 train operating companies under the DfT mandate.
63.6% voted to reject the Network Rail offer on an 83% turnout.
The Network Rail offer included a 5pc and 4pc pay rise over a two-year period with thousands of job losses, 50pc cut in scheduled maintenance tasks and a 30pc increase in unsocial hours.
Bosses at Network Rail have also said they will try and impose these detrimental changes from December 15.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "This is a huge rejection of Network Rail's substandard offer and shows that our members are determined to take further strike action in pursuit of a negotiated settlement.
"The government is refusing to lift a finger to prevent these strikes and it is clear they want to make effective strike action illegal in Britain.
"We will resist that and our members, along with the entire trade union movement will continue their campaign for a square deal for workers, decent pay increases and good working conditions."
END
Notes:
- Only Network Rail is on strike from 6pm Christmas Eve until 6am December 27, specifically targeting engineering works.
- All other scheduled strike action on 13,14,16 and 17 December and January 3,4,6 and 7 will involve Network Rail and the 14 train operating companies.
- The 14 companies under the DfT mandate are as follows:
Chiltern Railways
Cross Country Trains
Greater Anglia,
LNER,
East Midlands Railway,
c2c,
Great Western
Railway,
Northern Trains,
South Eastern
South Western Railway
Transpennine Express,
Avanti West Coast,
West Midlands Trains
GTR (including Gatwick Express