Monday is anticipated to see the continuation of negotiations aimed at preventing train strikes before Christmas after the RMT union rejected an early offer from the group representing train companies.
In eight days, the latest round of strikes by union members at fourteen railway companies and Network Rail will commence.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) stated that its offer would permit a 4% wage increase this year and another 4% increase the next year.
The RMT, however, stated that the offer did not satisfy its criteria for wages or conditions.
Four 48-hour periods are now scheduled for industrial action: 13-14 December, 16-17 December, 3-4 January, and 6-7 January.
The RDG, which represents the 14 train operators, recommended a variety of adjustments to working methods to help support a 4% pay increase for employees this year, retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year, and another 4% increase the following year.
These include repurposing or closing ticket offices, providing personnel with new “multi-skilled” responsibilities, and instituting Sunday work if it is not already in place. Other ideas by the RDG to “ensure the survival of the business” included allowing train drivers to operate train doors in more regions, despite its insistence that guards would remain on board.
The organization advocated the adoption of part-time contracts and flexible work schedules to attract a more diversified workforce that could accommodate shifts around other obligations. Additionally, no mandatory layoffs would be permitted until April 2024.
The RDG urged the union to avoid “disrupting the travel plans of millions and causing a significant hardship for businesses who rely on Christmas revenue.”
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT union, stated that the plans would not be acceptable to the union’s members.
“We have rejected this offer since it does not fulfill any of our requirements for ensuring long-term job security, a sufficient wage increase, and the protection of working conditions,” he stated.
Mr. Lynch noted that the plan if adopted, would result in “not only the loss of thousands of jobs” due to the closing of ticket offices, for instance, but also the employment of “unsafe practices” such as driver-only operated trains.
According to him, this would “leave our railroads chronically understaffed.”
“Extremely disheartening”
Mark Harper, secretary of transport, called the RMT’s decision “very disheartening.”
He stated that the government would continue to facilitate negotiations between unions and businesses.
The RDG offer is independent of negotiations with Network Rail, which maintains the railroads over the entirety of the United Kingdom and employs signallers and maintenance staff – around half of the disputing personnel.
Sunday, Network Rail issued what it termed its “best and final” offer to its employees, which includes a 5% wage increase this year and 4% next year, as well as no mandatory layoffs for workers in its general grades and controllers until January 31, 2025.
However, industry insiders have already stated that if strikes are to be called off, they must occur before the end of Monday to minimize passenger disturbance.
On Monday, the national executive committee of the RMT will evaluate Network Rail’s proposal.
Members of the RMT, like members of other rail unions, demand pay raises commensurate with the rising cost of living.
However, hospitality executives are concerned that if strikes occur in the coming weeks, bars, restaurants, and cafes will be badly impacted during the busiest time of the year.
Recently, UK Hospitality warned that the strike action will cost the industry approximately £1.5 billion in lost revenue.
There will likely be disruptions in the days leading up to the strikes due to trains not being in the correct locations, as approximately 40,000 workers are expected to walk out.
After the pandemic tore a hole in the train sector’s budget, the rail business is under pressure to conserve money, and executives argue reforms are necessary to modernize the railway and make pay raises possible.
The RDG stated that there will be redeployment possibilities and voluntary redundancy programs for train staff who wished to depart.
The plans it outlined would have required agreement from local representatives.
