RMT members vote to continue industrial action amid long-running row over jobs, pay and conditions

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have voted to continue taking industrial action in the long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions, the RMT announced.

The union said a fresh ballot of its members showed overwhelming support to carry on with action.

The RMT said the average turnout among its members in Network Rail and 14 train operating companies was 70.2% with a ‘yes’ vote of over 90%.

Under employment law, the union had to re-ballot its members six months after a previous vote. It means RMT members in these areas will be able to take strike action for potentially another six-month period.

“The National Executive Committee will now look at these fantastic results and negotiations will continue with Network Rail and the train operating companies," RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said. “This union is determined to continue with this campaign until the employers understand that they need to respond to our members’ aspirations on job security, pay and working conditions.”

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said: “The only way to solve this dispute, for both our people and our passengers, is around the negotiating table, which is why we look forward to continuing intensive talks in the days ahead with the hope of finding a breakthrough and an amicable solution for all. “What’s clear for all of us is that striking is not changing the railway’s precarious financial position, but actually only making it worse. The railway has not recovered from the pandemic and is currently losing millions a day, which makes reaching a deal both tough and essential.”

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