RMT members accept deal to end long-running dispute over pay and conditions

The RMT Union has announced its members have voted unanimously to accept a deal to end a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

The row with train companies over the past 18 months has led to regular strikes across the UK rail network.

The union's General Secretary said members had spoken in "huge numbers" to accept an unconditional pay offer and no compulsory redundancies until the end of 2024.

He said: "I want to congratulate them on their steadfastness in this long industrial campaign.

"We will be negotiating further with the train operators over reforms they want to see. And we will never shy away from vigorously defending our members terms and conditions, now or in the future.

"This campaign shows that sustained strike action and unity gets results and our members should be proud of the role they have played in securing this deal."

The deal means RMT members will now not strike until at least next Spring.

But members of the train drivers union Aslef will still walk out early next month in a separate dispute.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "This is welcome news for passengers and a significant step towards resolving industrial disputes on the railway, giving workers a pay rise before Christmas and a pathway to delivering long overdue reforms.

"It remains the case that the train drivers' union Aslef continue to block their members from having a say on the offer that would take train drivers' median salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week.

"Aslef should follow the RMT's lead and give their members a say."

The deal is understood to include a backdated pay rise of 5% for last year and job security guarantees.

The scrapping of plans to close railway ticket officers also helped break the deadlock.

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group which represents train companies, said: "This welcome vote from RMT members will unlock a pay rise for our people, and means that fair agreements have now been reached with three out of the four unions involved in the recent industrial dispute.

"Unfortunately, the Aslef leadership's decision to call further industrial action means passengers still face disruption between 1-9 December, despite an offer remaining on the table which would see basic driver salaries increase from £60k to £65k for a four-day week."

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