TSSA union members accept pay offer from Merseyrail during week of rail strikes

Rail union members have accepted a "reasonable" pay offer from Merseyrail, it has been announced.

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) said the rail operator's offer was worth 7.1%, which is a deal they say is keeping "with the escalating cost of living"

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes has described it as "a sensible outcome to a reasonable offer".

Union members include station retailers, customer relations assistants, lead revenue protection officers, train crew admin assistants, driver managers and more.

Mr Cortes said: "Well done to our members and to our union staff for clinching this deal at Merseyrail.

"It is a sensible outcome to a reasonable offer which goes a long way towards keeping pace with the escalating cost of living.

"What we have seen in our negotiations with Merseyrail is a company which knows the value of our rail and transport network, both to the public and the workers."

He continued: "The offer from Merseyrail will demonstrate to the entire country that ministers are set on a course of needless and nonsensical intransigence which benefits no one.

"Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and co would be wise to wake up and start talking seriously to our union as we ballot for industrial action on our railways up and down the land."

Andy Heath, Merseyrail Managing Director said: “As part of our normal annual pay negotiations, we recently met with our trade unions colleagues representing the various grades of staff within our business. Those discussions are progressing well but have yet to be concluded.

"Merseyrail is solely responsible for making such pay offers, working constructively with our trade unions.

"We are not part of the current National dispute that is taking place between the RMT, Network Rail and Train Operating Companies directly contracted to the DfT."

The offer comes the same week as the biggest rail strikes Britain has seen in a generation.

Although Merseyrail workers are not walking out, the entire network has been forced to close down on strike days due to knock on effect of Network Rail workers' action.

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