Rail strikes: RMT reveals date of new walkout after 'paltry' offer - The Worcester Observer

Rail strikes: RMT reveals date of new walkout after 'paltry' offer

Worcester Editorial 13th Jul, 2022   0

A FRESH wave of strike action could see Worcestershire’s railways grind to a halt in the first week of the school summer holidays.

Tens of thousands of rail workers will walk out for 24 hours on Wednesday, July 27 with a risk the service could be in disarray the following day.

The new stoppage comes after a ‘paltry’ offer by Network Rail of two four per cent pay rises in consecutive years was dismissed by RMT bosses. The RMT has yet to receive a pay offer or guarantees over job losses from the train operating companies (TOCs).

Network Rail members will strike from 2am on July 27 for 24 hours with members on the TOCs taking action from 12.01am until 11.59pm on the same day.




RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The offer from Network Rail represents a real term pay cut for our members and the paltry sum is conditional on RMT members agreeing to drastic changes in their working lives.

“We have made progress on compulsory redundancies. But Network Rail are still seeking to make our members poorer when we have won in some cases double what they are offering, with other rail operators.


“The train operating companies remain stubborn and are refusing to make any new offer which deals with job security and pay.

“Strike action is the only course open to us to make both the rail industry and government understand that this dispute will continue for as long as it takes, until we get a negotiated settlement.

“The public who will be inconvenienced by our strike action need to understand that it is the government’s shackling of Network Rail and the TOCs that means the rail network will be shut down for 24 hours.

“We remain open for further talks.”

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Worcester Observer newspaper.

Announcements

Weddings, Birthdays, Bereavements, Thank you notices, Marriages and more.

Advertising

Advertise with the Worcester Observer to reach your audience

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.