London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, May 23, 2025

RMT members at Network Rail vote to accept pay deal

RMT members at Network Rail vote to accept pay deal

Thousands of signal workers and maintenance staff in the RMT union have voted overwhelmingly to accept an offer from Network Rail to end its dispute.
It means they will not take part in any more strikes in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions.

RMT members who work for 14 train operating companies are still due to walk out on 30 March and 1 April.

But the Network Rail result will be seen as a significant breakthrough.

RMT general secretary Mike Lynch said the offer had not been as high as he would have liked, but members had voted decisively to accept the deal.

"We're not pretending this is an overwhelming victory," he said. "We're not celebrating the outcome, but we do accept our members' verdict that they have said 'this is enough'."

The turnout for the vote was nearly 90%, said the RMT, with 76% of members voting in favour of the pay offer.

The deal comes after Network Rail amended its previously rejected offer of a 5% pay rise for 2022 and a 4% increase this year.

The government did not put any more money on the table, but the tweaked proposals backdated this year's pay increase by three months, meaning workers end up with a bigger lump sum upfront.

The RMT - the country's biggest rail union - said the offer amounted to an uplift on salaries of between 14.4% for the lowest paid grades to 9.2% for the highest paid.

The package also included heavily discounted leisure travel.

Transport secretary Mark Harper welcomed the "resounding" vote in favour of accepting the offer.

"I'm very pleased, on behalf of the travelling public, that at least on the Network Rail side of the rail business we've now solved the industrial disputes," he said.

He said Network Rail would proceed with the modernisation and maintenance reforms, that the RMT opposes.

Mr Harper said he hoped the deal would be followed by a vote amongst staff in dispute with the train operating companies, represented by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), who he said had made a "fair and reasonable" offer.

Mr Lynch said he would be meeting with RDG representatives on Tuesday, but that next week's strikes would still go ahead unless they received a "cleaner deal".

That should include more money and a dilution of some of the companies' demands, Mr Lynch said. The question of driver-only operated trains and the removal of ticket offices still had not been resolved, he added.

With a deal agreed at Network Rail, the disruption for passengers from future action will be on a slightly smaller scale, since maintenance and signalling staff will not be involved. It also means train operating companies that aren't directly involved in the dispute will be unaffected.

During last Saturday's strike, workers at 14 train operators walked out, with between 40% and 50% of trains running.

Workers in various industries have held strikes, mainly over pay, which has not increased in line with rising prices. Inflation - the rate at which prices rise - is at its highest in nearly four decades.

Striking industries include nurses, junior doctors, civil servants and teachers.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
UK Justice Secretary Advocates for Good Conduct Release Policies to Alleviate Prison Overcrowding
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
UK Transfers Chagos Islands Sovereignty to Mauritius in Strategic Agreement
Bitcoin Surpasses $111,000 Mark for the First Time
Key Developments in UK Business and Economy
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Leaked Secret Report: How the Muslim Brotherhood Is Expanding in France—With Qatari Funding
BYD Surpasses Tesla in European Electric Vehicle Sales
West Nile Virus Detected in UK Mosquitoes for First Time
UK Exposes Russian Cyber Campaign Targeting Ukraine Aid Networks
UK Inflation Rises to 3.5% in April Amid Household Bill Increases
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Taiwan claims China is using cash to win over developing nations
European Parliament Suspends Huawei Lobbyists Amid Corruption Probe
Industry Leaders Express Skepticism Over EU's New Single Market Strategy
European Parliament Considers Lifting Immunity of Five MEPs in Huawei Investigation
‘Plane Full of English Animals’: Footage Documents EasyJet Flight Chaos to Ibiza
Trump and Ramaphosa Hold Contentious White House Meeting Amid Diplomatic Strains
US Billionaires' Wealth Surges by $365 Billion Amid Tax Cut Debate
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Faces Federal Trial on Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges
India Blocks Thousands of Social Media Accounts Amid Tensions with Pakistan
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Ontario Manufacturers Warn U.S. Tariffs Could Create Economic 'Ghost Town'
UK and EU Reach Landmark Post-Brexit Deal to Reset Relations
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Trump Demands Probe into Kamala Harris for Paying Celebs to Fake Endorsements
At Age 92, the World’s Oldest President Has No Succession Plan — and That Could Spark a Crisis
U.S. Concerns Mount Over Chinese 'Kill Switch' Components Found in Solar Power Infrastructure
Bipartisan Criticism Surrounds Trump's Cryptocurrency Ventures
Diplomatic Efforts on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Mexican Navy Ship Collides with Brooklyn Bridge, Injuries Reported
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
U.S. and Philippine Forces Test High-Powered Microwave Weapons in Joint Exercise
China Unveils Advanced AI Surveillance Tools at 12th Police Equipment Expo
Japan's Three Major Banks Report Record High Net Profits for Second Consecutive Year
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
US and EU Make Progress in Trade Talks, While Vietnam Negotiations Also Advance
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial: Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura Testifies About Alleged Abuse
Former Wales Rugby Star Jamie Roberts to Pursue Medical Career
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
Passenger Travels Under Wrong Identity on British Airways Flight
Former FBI Director James Comey Questioned by Secret Service Over Social Media Post
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
After 108 Years: Moody’s Downgrades U.S. Credit Rating
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
×