October 2024
REGIONAL NEWSLETTER
Issue 19
CONTACT US:
North East Region
Your North East Regional Council can be contacted at: NorthEastRegionalCouncil@rmt.org.uk And on our X (Twitter): @RMTNorthEast
PAY REFERENDA: MEMBERS OVERWHELMING SAY YES TRAIN OPERATING COMPANIES Members working for 12 train operating companies have voted overwhelmingly to accept the pay proposal that your union negotiators agreed with the Department for Transport. The offer was: for the year 2023/24 – 4.75% and for the year 2024/25 – 4.5%. Crucially this was unconditional. Out of 15462, an incredible 15283 voted in favour of the offer. This offer has only come about due to the resilience of the members who, in particular in this region, stood steadfast in the face of ideologically driven attacks on our pay and terms and conditions. It is important to remember that the previous government wanted to close all ticket offices and slash jobs under the auspice of ‘workplace reform.’ This pay award is not connected to the appalling strategies that were being pursued by the unscrupulous Rail Delivery Group over the course of the dispute, where charlatans such as Mark Harper and Grant Shapps refused to meet and meaningfully negotiate. We stood firm. All North East members should be proud. The union already accepted an offer for the year 2022/23 across the TOCs of 5% with a minimum underpin of £1750. Acceptance of this deal means that, despite the sustained threat to members’ livelihoods over three years of this dispute, members will receive in total a compounded 14.94% pay rise. It is heartening to learn that RMT won’t stop there, and we are pressing for better staff travel arrangements in the coming months, to align with the incoming renationalised railway. Keep fighting and reminding fellow workers why being in RMT and having collective strength and solidarity can achieve so much.
NETWORK RAIL Network Rail members also voted to accept the pay proposal received in September. The proposals were for pay on all general grades and Bands 5 to 8 (and equivalents). The offer was for a base increase of 4.5%, effective from 1st Jan 2024 until 31st Dec 2024. 89% of the Network Rail members who voted, voted in favour of the offer. The offer also included improvements to family friendly policies, and an extension of the non-safeguarded leisure travel facilities for all eligible grade employees until March 2025. The democratic will of members was to accept and we expect pay talks for 2025 to commence soon.
Scan QR code for a video message from Mick Lynch