20,000 RMT railway employees to go on strike in June

May 18, 2023 at 6:15 PM
20,000 RMT railway employees to go on strike in June

RMT members working for 14 prepare corporations will stage a contemporary strike on 2 June of their long-running dispute over pay, jobs and circumstances, the union introduced.

The strike will see 20,000 employees in catering, stations and dealing as prepare managers take motion, affecting prepare providers all through the nation.

Thousands of passengers will face disruption together with these planning to go to the FA Cup ultimate between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley and the Epsom Derby on 3 June.

The RMT stated it discovered the Rail Delivery Group’s (RDG) earlier provide and related circumstances “unacceptable”.

“Despite contact between the parties since the strike on 13 May, no new proposals have been formulated for the RMT to consider,” the union tweeted immediately.

RMT common secretary Mick Lynch added: “The Government is once again not allowing the Rail Delivery Group to make an improved offer that we can consider.

“Therefore, we have now to pursue our industrial marketing campaign to win a negotiated settlement on jobs, pay and circumstances.

Lynch
Image:
RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch

“Ministers cannot just wish this dispute away.

“They underestimate the power of feeling our members, who’ve simply given us a brand new six-month strike mandate, proceed to help the marketing campaign and the motion and are decided to see this by way of till we get a suitable decision.

“The Government now needs to unlock the RDG and allow them to make an offer that can be put to a referendum of our members.”

RMT members on the picket line
Image:
RMT members on the picket line earlier this yr

Train drivers are additionally putting in coming weeks. Members of Aslef will stroll out on 31 May and three June, the day of the FA Cup Final at Wembley.

Meanwhile, an RDG spokesperson blamed the union’s management for selecting to “prolong this dispute without ever giving their members a chance to have a say on their own offer”.

Read extra: Number of days lost to strike action in 2022 highest since 1989

“In recent discussions with the RMT, we have continued to stand by the fair, industry-level dispute resolution proposal agreed line by line with their negotiating team, which would have resolved this dispute and given our lowest-paid staff a rise of up to 13%.

Euston RMT picket line
Image:
Euston RMT picket line earlier this yr

“Instead, they will be subject to yet more lost pay through industrial action, customers will suffer more disruption, and the industry will continue to suffer huge damage at a time when the railway is taking more than its fair share from taxpayers to keep trains running post-COVID.

“We stay open and keen to interact in national-level talks in order that we are able to safe a pay rise for our individuals and the long-term way forward for an trade very important to Britain’s financial system.”