RMT announces further national rail strikes
The RMT union has announced further national strikes and wider action on the railways after rejecting offers from both train operators and Network Rail last week.
The union’s 40,000 members across Network Rail and 14 train operators will strike on 16 March. Train staff will walk out for three further days, on 18 and 30 March and 1 April.
Its Network Rail members will also start an overtime ban lasting a total of six weeks in maintenance and operations, which the union warned would prove disruptive to the railway.
The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “Rail employers are not being given a fresh mandate by the government to offer our members a new deal on pay, conditions and job security.
“Therefore, our members will now take sustained and targeted industrial action over the next few months.
“The government can settle this dispute easily by unshackling the rail companies.
“However, its stubborn refusal to do so will now mean more strike action across the railway network and a very disruptive overtime ban.”
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The renewed breakdown in relations has caused dismay in the rail industry, dashing hopes that the dispute would be settled with an improved offer in the new year after four weeks of industrial action around Christmas.
Staff have been offered a 9% pay increase in total, with 5% backdated to January 2022, but with stipulations about “modernisation”.
The union’s national executive rejected the deals last week after consulting with branch representatives.
The Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators, said it was “dismayed that the union leadership has opted to
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