Rail and postal strikes ‘decimated’ festive trade with worst impact for a decade February 14, 2023 London’s festive economy was “decimated” by rail and postal strikes, as new figures revealed the disruption caused by walkouts was the worst month on record since 2011. Around 843,000 working days were lost to strike action in December – the highest for more than a decade – according to official figures from the Office for [...]
Network Rail makes new offer to RMT in bid to avert more strikes: Pay increase stays but hours reduced February 1, 2023 Network Rail has tweaked the offer it made last month to the union RMT in a bid to avert more strike action. Chief negotiator Tim Shoveller sent yesterday an email to staff, saying the new offer “added some fresh proposals.” These include cutting down the hours of maintenance staff from 40 to 35 per week, [...]
London disruption warning after rail track left hanging in mid-air due to ‘huge landslip’ January 15, 2023 Major disruption is expected after a main railway line collapsed in a “huge” landslip which left one track hanging in mid-air. The 44-metre landslip happened on the embankment to the north east of Hook station in Hampshire, on the line from London to Basingstoke. The damage has left only two of the four-track railway passable, [...]
Train operators given ‘revised mandate’ for latest union talks, Mark Harper says January 15, 2023 Train company bosses will be working with a “revised mandate” which could include a better pay offer as they enter the latest round of talks with unions, the transport secretary has suggested. Mark Harper said train operators have been given his “permission” to make a new offer to the trade unions. The minister claimed he [...]
On the right track? Rail boss optimistic but blames RMT for stalled talks after rejecting pay deal January 11, 2023 The RMT recommending its members vote against Network Rail’s improved offer hasn’t helped negotiations progress, the company’s chief negotiator Tim Shoveller told MPs today. Union members walked out between 6pm on Christmas Eve and 6am on 27 December as well as throughout last week after they rejected a 9 per cent pay offer. As part [...]
Mick Lynch: Only ‘sensible’ proposals will bring end to rail strikes January 2, 2023 Only “sensible” proposals will bring the ongoing rail dispute to an end, according to union leader Mick Lynch. After disrupting Christmas plans for millions of Britons, walkouts at Network Rail and 14 other operators will resume from tomorrow. Members of the union RMT will down tools on Tuesday, Wednesday as well as Friday and Saturday [...]
Network Rail slams RMT for ‘needless’ Christmas strikes December 19, 2022 Network Rail’s chief executive Andrew Haines has accused the union RMT of “causing needless misery” to its members and the UK wider economy as workers strike during Christmas. RMT members working at Network Rail will down tools from 6pm on Christmas Eve to 6am on 27 after rejecting a nine per cent offer. “RMT suggestions [...]
Platform staff accept Network Rail’s pay offer December 15, 2022 Platform staff at Network Rail are getting closer to ending their industrial dispute after members of the union TSSA accepted a pay increase. The union – which didn’t have any strike action planned after calling off its walkout on 17 December – said 85 per cent of members voted in favour of the proposal. As [...]
Network Rail Christmas strike to go on as workers reject pay offer December 12, 2022 The strikes planned on Network Rail over the Christmas period are set to go on as members of the union RMT have rejected the company’s latest pay offer. Thousands of rail workers will walk out between 6pm on Christmas Eve and 6am on 27 December, disrupting planned engineering works. This will be in addition to [...]
Rail strikes ‘cost £500m to the economy’ as Nightcap boss says action ‘decimating’ bars November 10, 2022 Ongoing railway strikes have cost the UK economy £500m this year, with businesses pleading with unions and bosses to find a solution to the disruption. “If we don’t get the services restored I’m worried people will give up on rail,” newly-appointed rail minister Huw Merriman told the Railway Industry Association’s conference on Thursday. “That would [...]