UK rail industry makes fresh push to end protracted strikes

The UK rail industry has stepped up efforts to end seven months of strikes, with infrastructure operator Network Rail making a “revised” offer on pay and working practices to the RMT trade union.

Network Rail hopes changes to its proposed modernisation of working practices, including improvements to annual leave allowances, will help push a deal with the RMT over the line. These changes are being offered alongside a 9 per cent pay rise for rail workers over two years, which was rejected in a vote by union members in December.

The details of the revised Network Rail offer were disclosed as train drivers belonging to the Aslef union on Wednesday joined teachers and civil servants in the biggest day of strike action in the UK since 2011.

Workers in the public and private sectors are demanding higher pay amid the cost of living crisis.

An estimated 150,000 teachers represented by the NEU union have walked out across England and Wales, affecting more than eight in 10 schools. About 12,500 train drivers are striking, leaving just a third of rail services running.

More than 100,000 civil servants who are members of the PCS union are involved in industrial action, affecting Whitehall departments, other government agencies and border posts, where military personnel have been drafted in to check passports.

Tim Shoveller, a Network Rail managing director, wrote in a letter to the RMT about the infrastructure operator’s latest offer on pay and working practices: “We have listened, reflected and believe this supports the RMT’s ambition for improvements.”

The RMT leadership is separately considering a proposed 9 per cent pay rise over two years and overhaul of working practices made by train operating companies.

Union leaders will have to put the employers’ offers to members for a vote on whether to accept the proposed deals and end the protracted industrial action.

The RMT said in response to Network Rail’s latest offer: “No decision has been made on the proposals nor any of the elements within them. We will now consult members through branch and regional meetings.”

At prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons, Rishi Sunak said children deserved to be in school “being taught”, adding teachers had been given “the highest pay rise in 30 years” and that strikes were wrong.

For 2022-23, teachers were awarded a pay increase of at least 5 per cent, but unions want above-inflation rises. Consumer price inflation stood at 10.5 per cent in December.

Sunak insisted the Conservatives would “stand up for hard-working Britons” after he was pressed by Labour about the government’s record on handling industrial action, as well as misconduct by ministers.

Sunak accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of being “bankrolled” by the unions, and highlighted how the opposition party had voted against the government’s legislation to ensure minimum service levels in key industries during strikes.

“So while he sides with extremist protesters and union bosses, we stand up for hard working Britons and school children,” said the prime minister.

Starmer responded: “After 13 years in power, trying to blame the Labour party for his failure to sort out the strikes is rank pathetic. The Tory party’s addiction to sleaze and scandal has done huge damage to this country and the cost to the public keeps adding up.”