Yahoo News RMT ‘in no rush’ to call further strikes this month after crippling walkouts
A rail workers’ union has said it is “not in any rush” to call for further strike action in July following a series of walkouts last week.
Eddie Dempsey, senior assistant general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), said his colleagues are in “no rush to run into the boardroom and name further action” at the moment.
Asked about the likelihood of strikes in July, Mr Dempsey told the BBC: “We’ve told people we’re not in any rush.
"I think we’ve made a pretty emphatic point with the strike action we put on. We don’t take these steps lightly. We’re in no rush to run into the boardroom and name further action."
He added that discussions between union leaders and rail chiefs this week have been “fairly intense”.
"We’re progressing in terms of discussions. There are some fundamental issues of difficulty between us still, and that’s why we’re seeking feedback, but we haven’t gotten onto the question of pay yet," Mr Dempsey said.
"That’s going to be a really important issue, and whether or not there can be an offer that satisfies our people, we will have to wait and see."
It comes after the lead negotiator for Network Rail said he remained “cautiously optimistic” that an agree with the RMT would be reached.
Speaking to the Today programme, Tim Shoveller said talks since last week’s walkouts had been "constructive".
RMT chief Mick Lynch told BBC Breakfast that the talks would continue and he would consult members to see “if and when there needs to be a new phase of industrial action.”
He said: “But if we don’t get a settlement, it’s extremely likely there will be.”
Additionally, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) union is currently voting on possible industrial action.
If it goes ahead, it could disrupt services from Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, c2c, East Midlands Railway, LNER, Northern, and West Midlands Trains.
