Rail Strike Set To Cause Bank Holiday Havoc

A 24-hour strike by Network Rail workers threatens to cause havoc for passengers travelling over the Spring Bank Holiday.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) plan to walk out from 5pm on Monday 25 May, making travelling doubly difficult for day-trippers returning home.

However, there remains the prospect of a deal being done to avert the action, with peace talks due to take place at the conciliation service, Acas, on Monday.

They were requested by Network Rail.

The decision to strike followed a comprehensive 4-1 vote in favour of the walkout from RMT members, well above the planned (50%) threshold being proposed by the new Government as part of union ballot reforms .

The timing of the strike action, just weeks after the General Election, represents the first big industrial relations test for the Conservatives.

The RMT rejected Network Rail’s latest pay proposals put on the table in April, which the union claimed were "well short" in terms of maintaining the living standards, job security and working conditions of close-on 16,000 staff .

Union members have so far rejected a four-year deal worth £500 this year followed by three years of increases matching RPI inflation.

Network Rail’s offer also pledged no compulsory redundancies before December 2016.

Speaking before new talks at Acas were announced, RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Our members have decisively rejected the pay package offered by Network Rail and the failure of the company to make any moves whatsoever in light of the overwhelming vote in the ballot has left us with no option but to move to a rolling programme of industrial action.

"We have made it clear that as far as RMT is concerned, the one-off, non-consolidated, lump sum payment this year is wholly inadequate and fails to recognise the massive pressures staff are working under to keep services running safely at a time when the company is generating profits of £1bn.

"It is our members battling to keep Britain moving around the clock and they deserve a fair share from Network Rail for their incredible efforts."