Hopes have been raised that rail unions may finally be close to reaching a deal to end strikes which blighted the railways for months after a new formal pay offer was tabled.
Unions were offered a nine per cent pay rise over two years – a 5 per cent or £1,750 increase for 2022, depending on which is greater, followed by 4 per cent in 2023, according to the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.
There was also a major Government concession as a demand for driver-only operated (DOO) trains was dropped amid staunch opposition from the RMT, which last month accused Chancellor Jeremy Hunt of forcing train companies to insert the condition at the last minute, scuppering the chances of a deal to avoid Christmas walkouts.
However, the new offer also contained a demand for all station ticket offices to be closed or repurposed, subject to consultation – a measure the RMT does not support.
The 14 train operating companies represented by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said this was the “best and final offer” and insisted it was “fair” as pay rises were weighted towards those on lower incomes.
They said station staff would be trained to take on multi-skilled roles in stations.
Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said: “The national executive committee will be considering this matter and has made no decision on the proposals nor any of the elements within them.
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“We will give an update on our next steps in due course.”
i understands that a decision from the union on next steps is most likely next week.
While DOO has been dropped in a major concession, companies told unions they could separately make proposals on train crewing separate to the current dispute.
There are also provisions for a seven day railways, including a move to make Sunday working mandatory rather than voluntary, if cover cannot be provided, to avoid weekend travel delays, among a host of other reforms.
There will be a voluntary redundancy scheme cutting around 800 jobs and all catering services are up for review, while there are various new proposed changes to contract terms and entitlements in the new offer.
The terms must be accepted in full by unions to guarantee the pay rise and no compulsory redundancies before 31 December, 2024 – an improvement on the previous offer of April that year.
The RDG said strikes have cost the industry around £480m in lost ticket revenue since June, on top of a £2bn shortfall after Covid, while staff have lost up to £2,000 in pay while on strike.
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RDG chair, Steve Montgomery, said: “This is a fair offer that gives RMT members a significant uplift over the next two years – weighted particularly for those on lower incomes who we know are most feeling the squeeze – while allowing the railway to innovate and adapt to new travel patterns.
“It also means we can offer our people more varied, rewarding careers.
“With taxpayers still funding up to an extra £175m a month to make up the shortfall in revenue post-Covid, we urge the RMT to put this offer to its members so we can bring an end to this damaging dispute for our people, our passengers and the long-term future of Britain’s railways.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “These strikes have gone on for far too long and this is a step in the right direction.
“This fair and reasonable offer guarantees employees a pay rise in line with the private sector and no compulsory redundancies, while delivering the reforms needed to address the long-term challenges facing the industry. We encourage the RMT to put this new offer to its members and bring this dispute to an end.”
RMT’s separate negotiations with Network Rail, which maintains the infrastructure, are continuing and no new offer has been received.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.