Fresh strikes to hit millions of commuters as railway workers vote in favour of industrial action
Commuters will need to brace themselves for a new wave of strikes after members of the RMT union working in the railway industry have decided in favour of nation-wide industrial action.
The RMT announced the ballot’s results, adding that 71 per cent of workers balloted took part in the vote with an 89 per cent majority voting in favour of walking out.
“Today’s overwhelming endorsement by railway workers is a vindication of the union’s approach and sends a clear message that members want a decent pay rise, job security and no compulsory redundancies,” said RMT’s general secretary Mick Lynch yesterday.
“Our NEC will now meet to discuss a timetable for strike action from mid-June, but we sincerely hope ministers will encourage the employers to return to the negotiating table and hammer out a reasonable settlement with the RMT.”
The union demanded to hold urgent talks with Network Rail and 15 other railway operators to resolve the dispute.
Closed on Tuesday, the vote was launched on 20 April in protest after the union accused Network Rail of planning to axe around 2,500 maintenance jobs as part of a £2bn spending cutdown.
The walkout was called “the biggest endorsement for industrial action by railway workers since privation” after more than 40,000 RMT members were called to vote.
The results come the day after transport secretary Grant Shapps said the UK would prioritise critical goods – including food and energy – if the rail strike were to disrupt the wider network.
“We will have to prioritise freight and goods and energy supplies moving around,” transport secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC yesterday.