Rail strikes may soon be called off as the RMT has announced that it will hold a referendum to determine whether its members will accept a new pay deal.
The union clarified that it will not provide any recommendations on how its members should vote and that the offer is not dependent on accepting Network Rail’s maintenance modernization agenda, which the RMT does not support.
The pay deal features a salary increase of 14.4% for the lowest-paid staff and 9.2% for the highest-paid employees. It also includes an additional 1.1% on basic earnings and increased backpay. Network Rail employees who are members of the RMT will vote on whether to accept the proposal in a referendum that will take place from March 9 to March 20 at noon.
As a result, planned strike action on March 16 and March 18 has been effectively cancelled. However, the RMT still has two other strikes scheduled for March 30 and April 1.
Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the RMT, stated that “Network Rail has presented a new and improved offer, and now our members will determine whether to accept it. We will continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on all aspects of the railway dispute.”
