More misery for commuters as RMT vote to extend rail strikes for another six months in long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions

• The Union said that 89.9% of its members voted ‘yes’ on a 63.6% turnout

The RMT Union has voted to extend rail strikes for another six months as part of a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. 

The Union said that it ‘smashed’ the threshold to secure the mandate for strike action with 89.9% of members voting ‘yes’ on a 63.6% turnout.

It added that around 20,000 members were balloted across 14 rail companies. 

The group posted the announcement on Twitter, which will add more misery to commuters, who have already faced three days of strikes this month. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘I congratulate our members for delivering a decisive mandate for future industrial action as we pursue a negotiated settlement of jobs pay and conditions.’

The RMT Union has voted to extend rail strikes for another six months as part of a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions (Pictured: RMT general secretary Mick Lynch)

The Union said that it ‘smashed’ the threshold to secure the mandate for strike action with 89.9 of members voting ‘yes’ on a 63.6% turnout (Stock image)

The group posted the announcement on Twitter, which will add more misery to commuters, who have already faced three days of strikes this month 

Lynch continued: ‘This ringing endorsement of RMT’s approach to the dispute now means we have industrial leverage to secure an improved offer from the RDG. 

‘The government who controls this dispute through a contractual mandate over the train operating companies, must now allow the Rail Delivery Group to put forward a revised offer so we can work towards reaching a settlement.

READ MORE: RMT accused of ‘playing politics’ after pushing ahead with strikes after another trade union accepted the same pay offer 

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‘However, if no new offer is forthcoming, we will once again take strike action in defence of our members livelihoods.’

It is the fourth time RMT members have voted on strikes in a dispute which started in the summer of 2022.

The union has held a series of walkouts since then, causing huge disruption to rail services.

In March, the RMT’s dispute with Network Rail ended after maintenance and signalling staff accepted a deal of a 14.4 per cent pay increase for the lowest paid and a 9.2 per cent pay increase for the highest paid.

But hopes of a breakthrough in the RMT’s standoff with the train companies ended in May after the union rejected the Rail Delivery Group’s (RDG) latest proposals of a 5 per cent pay rise backdated to January last year and a 4 per cent hike for 2023.

The Government, which decides how much money is available for negotiations, described the offer at the time as ‘best and final’.

Unions involved in disputes have to re-ballot their members every six months to legally continue with strikes and other forms of action.

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