Members of the RMT in Network Rail have voted to accept a pay offer, the union has announced.

Around 20,000 workers have been at loggerheads with the Government for months after a row over pay and working conditions.

In January the strikes caused travel chaos for thousands of commuters.

In a turnout of nearly 90 percent members voted by 76 percent to 24 percent to accept the offer. 

The new offer which was also improved with the new money was made following the most recent strike action in January and the threat of more action.

Key features of the offer include an uplift on salaries of between 14.4 percent for the lowest paid grades to 9.2 percent for the highest paid.

It also includes a total uplift on basic earnings between 15.2 percent for the lowest-paid grades to 10.3 percent for the highest-paid grades.

There will also be increased backpay, and there will be a renewal of the no compulsory redundancy agreement until January 2025.

Network Rail withdrew their previous because the offer was conditional on RMT accepting the company’s ‘modernising maintenance’ agenda, which the union will continue to scrutinize and challenge including on safety.

There will also be discounted rail travel benefits.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that when the union first declared the dispute with Network Rail a year ago in the Spring of 2022, RMT was told that Network Rail workers would only get two percent to three percent.

Mr Lynch said today: ‘However, since then strike action and the inspiring solidarity and determination of members has secured new money and a new offer which has been clearly accepted by our members and that dispute is now over.

‘Our dispute with the Train Operating Companies remains firmly on and our members recent highly effective strike action across the fourteen train companies has shown their determination to secure a better deal. 

‘If the government now allows the train companies to make the right offer, we can then put that to our members but until then the strike action scheduled for March 30 and April 1 will take place. 

‘The ball is in the government’s court.’

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