Latest RMT union vote could see end to debilitating train strikes

RMT members are expected to vote in favour of the pay offer by Network Rail

The deadline for RMT members to vote for the latest Network Rail offer has now passed, with members expected to vote in favour of the offer.

The new offer includes a salary increase of 14.4 per cent for the lowest paid and 9.2 per cent for the highest paid staff.

There is an additional 1.1 per cent on basic earnings and increased backpay.

The results are expected to be announced shortly.

The RMT said it was not making a recommendation on how to vote on the offer, compared with a similar offer in December 2022, which union officials advised members to reject.

On Sunday, senior rail sources were “quietly confident” a majority of workers had backed the pay offer, according to the Daily Mail.

A senior industry source said: “We [are] not counting our chickens, but the mood music is certainly more positive. That's principally because the union hasn't put out a communication to reject it.

“Everything we've heard is very positive. People are voting for it in bigger numbers than last time.

“The vast majority of members have already voted and we're expecting a majority will have voted in favour.”

A pay deal being reached would pave the way for months of strike action to end.

Additional disputes involving the train drivers union Aslef still need to be resolved, however.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We will continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on all aspects of the railway dispute.”

Speaking on Saturday, Mr Lynch said RMT members are not prepared to “swallow vast changes to their working conditions” in exchange for a “poor pay rise”.

The union leader compared the government’s approach to transport workers with public sector workers, stating: “We need a change in attitude.

“We’ve seen a bit of that in the health service and maybe in the teachers’ unions.

“The difference in that is there are no conditions, it’s new money – but our members are expected to swallow vast changes to their working conditions and they’re not prepared to do that to get a very modest, poor pay rise.”

More rail strikes are currently scheduled to take place on 30 March and 1 April.

The RMT said that more than 20,000 workers will be taking strike action unless there is a negotiated settlement.