Sussex rail strikes: Network Rail members 'overwhelmingly vote' to accept improved offer

The agreement with the UK Government could finally bring an end to a protracted dispute – which has seen multiple strikes cause major disruption in Sussex.

"Network Rail members overwhelmingly vote to accept improved offer,” read a statement on the RMT Twitter page, shortly after 1.20pm today (Monday, March 20), following a union-wide referendum.

“Rail union RMT announced today that its 20,000 members have voted to accept a new and improved offer covering pay, jobs and conditions by a margin of three to one.”

The RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) announced on Tuesday (March 7) that it was suspending all strike action against Network Rail in response to the employer’s new pay offer. This meant that union workers at the company did not go on strike as planned on Thursday, March 16.

Last week, Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told the BBC: “We are relieved for our people, passengers and freight customers that industrial action in Network Rail has now been suspended.”

However, planned RMT strikes across 14 train operators on the same day, as well as March 18, did go ahead as it involved different train operators. They are due to strike again on Thursday, March 30 and Saturday, April 1.

Train workers across the country have been embroiled in a long-running pay dispute that has resulted in months of transport strikes, causing havoc for millions of passengers across the UK. A vote of Network Rail’s RMT members was still required before the settlement could be approved.

Following the RMT statement, Transport Secretary Mark Harper wrote on Twitter: “I am pleased that Network Rail’s RMT members have voted to accept a fair and reasonable five per cent + four per cent pay offer, over two years, that the government worked hard to facilitate.

"Unfortunately, RMT members who work for train operating companies aren't being given the same chance to bring their dispute to an end as the RMT has refused to put the Rail Delivery Group’s very similar offer to a vote, denying these members the pay rise they deserve.

"That’s why I am once again urging the RMT to call off their upcoming strikes across train operating companies, put the Rail Delivery Group offer to a vote, and give all of their members a say.”

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