Network Rail makes new offer to RMT in bid to avert more strikes: Pay increase stays but hours reduced
Network Rail has tweaked the offer it made last month to the union RMT in a bid to avert more strike action.
Chief negotiator Tim Shoveller sent yesterday an email to staff, saying the new offer “added some fresh proposals.”
These include cutting down the hours of maintenance staff from 40 to 35 per week, as well as improving leave conditions for registered carers.
It nevertheless maintained the pay increase to a minimum of nine per cent over two years, which was rejected by RMT bosses in early December.
“We can’t afford to increase December’s basic pay award, but we have added some fresh proposals,” Shoveller told staff on Tuesday night.
Network Rail’s offer was presented to RMT members on the same day the union TSSA received a fresh pay offer from train operators.
RMT bosses said today they will consider the deal and decide whether to put it to their members.
“No decision has been made on the proposals nor any of the elements within them,” said a union spokesperson. “An update on our next steps will be forthcoming in due course.”
The RMT is also considering whether to recommend a nine per cent offer it received from train companies earlier this month.
“The national executive committee will be considering this matter and has made no decision on the proposals nor any of the elements within them,” general secretary Mick Lynch said this afternoon,” general secretary Mick Lynch said on 19 January.
Around 200 members working as train drivers at 15 companies have joined their colleagues at rail union Aslef and walked out over pay and jobs.