RMT suspends national rail strikes

The RMT has announced that national rail strikes scheduled for March 30 and April 1 have been suspended.

In a statement the union says that it follows further talks between RMT and the Rail Delivery Group in which a proposal was tabled by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which could lead to a resolution to resolve the current national rail dispute through a new offer.

The statement adds: “RMT will have further talks with the RDG with a view to securing a new offer on pay, job security and working conditions.

“The dispute remains on and the union will continue to make preparations for a re-ballot when the current mandates runs out in mid-May.”

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “We welcome this positive step by the leadership of the RMT to call off their planned action on 30 March and 1 April. This is great news for our customers and for our staff. 

“We are now jointly focused on working constructively towards a settlement to this dispute, which will mean we can do what we have always wanted to do – give our people a pay rise and help secure the long-term future of the railway with rewarding careers for all those who work on it.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This marks a positive step and takes us closer to resolving this dispute.

“After Network Rail employees overwhelmingly voted to accept a similar pay offer earlier this week, we’re once again asking the RMT executive to do the right thing and put this fair and reasonable offer to its members, giving them the pay rise they deserve and helping us end this dispute.”

Photo credit: Rail Delivery Group

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