Christmas strike chaos set to go ahead as Mick Lynch rejects EIGHT per cent pay rise for RMT staff

Christmas strikes look set to go ahead after the RMT union rejected an offer from train operators aiming to resolve the ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said it offered offered an 8 per cent pay rise and guarantee of no compulsory redundancies before April 2024.

But within hours of the offer, it was rejected by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT).

The RMT said: “The RDG is offering 4 per cent in 2022 and 2023 which is conditional on RMT members accepting vast changes to working practices, huge job losses, Driver Only Operated (DOO) trains on all companies and the closure of all ticket offices.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We have rejected this offer as it does not meet any of our criteria for securing a settlement on long-term job security, a decent pay rise and protecting working conditions.

“The RDG and Department of Transport, who sets their mandate, both knew this offer would not be acceptable to RMT members.

“If this plan was implemented, it would not only mean the loss of thousands of jobs but the use of unsafe practices such as DOO and would leave our railways chronically understaffed.

“RMT is demanding an urgent meeting with the RDG tomorrow (Monday) morning with a view to securing a negotiated settlement on job security, working conditions and pay.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the union’s announcement was “incredibly disappointing” and was unfair to the public, passengers and the rail workforce.

“Our railways need to modernise. There’s no place for outdated working practices that rely on voluntary overtime to run a reliable seven-day service,” he said.