RMT Union has announced that its members have “overwhelmingly” voted to accept a new offer covering pay, jobs, and conditions.
In a statement revealing the outcome of the vote to accept the “improved offer” released today, the rail union said that 20,000 of its members voted by 76% to 24% in favour – which is said to mean the end of the trade dispute with Network Rail.
It comes after a series of strikes were staged over several months.
Rail workers first voted in favour of staging the “biggest strike in decades” at the end of May 2022, and the Union and Network Rail have since been in a bitter ongoing dispute ever since.
RMT Network Rail members overwhelmingly vote to accept improved offer: Full story here https://t.co/PnT9l5CUKr
The offer voted in favour of includes an uplift on salaries of between 14.4% for the lowest paid grades to 9.2% or the highest paid, and a total uplift on basic earnings between 15.2% for the lowest paid grades to 10.3% for the highest paid grades – which represents an additional 1.1% over the duration of the deal, according to RMT.
ADVERTISEMENT
Other “key factors” of the offer, according to RMT, includes discounted rail travel benefits for members.
The offer also includes increased backpay, and a renewing of the ‘no compulsory redundancy agreement’ until January 2025.
ADVERTISEMENT
On top of this, RMT claims Network Rail will withdraw its previous insistence the offer was conditional on RMT accepting the company ‘modernising maintenance’ agenda – which the union will continue to “scrutinise and challenge”.
RMT Union members ‘overwhelmingly’ vote to accept new pay offer / Credit: Northern Rail
Reflecting on the outcome of the vote today, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said that when the Union first declared the dispute with Network Rail nearly a year ago, RMT was told that Network Rail workers would only get 2-3%.
“However, since then strike action and the inspiring solidarity and determination of members has secured new money,” he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
“A new offer which has been clearly accepted by our members and that dispute is now over.”
Mr Lynch did, however, confirm that rail passengers will still face disruption from strike action scheduled for 30 March and 1 April, as they are still yet to strike a deal with the 14 train operating companies represented by the Rail Delivery Group.
20,000 members voted in favour of the new offer covering pay, jobs, and conditions / Credit: Network Rail
“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,” he explained.
“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 will take place.
Former US President Barack Obama is coming to Manchester for a special ‘Evening With’ event
Danny Jones
No, not a prank: the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, is coming to Manchester on his upcoming UK tour.
Confirming just three domestic dates across Great Britain and Ireland, the 44th President turned successful global speaker has delivered talks all over the world, and now he’ll be coming to the Co-op Live arena.
We always knew the industry-leading events space was going to lead to some big names, but no one was expecting this one.
Set to deliver his first-ever ‘An Evening With’ here in Greater Manchester, Barack Obama will be coming to the Co-op later this year.
Officially announcing the live show in line with a key American date, Obama will be making his first-ever visit to our city.
The Co-op Live post reads: “As America marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, President Barack Obama joins us in Belfast, Glasgow and Manchester to discuss what comes next – for America, and for all of us.”
More than two and a half centuries on from the start of the nation becoming the United States, the series of intimate interviews comes alongside a significant anniversary for both countries.
Always praised for being a talented orator, the 64-year-old ex-Commander in Chief has found a fruitful second career on the so-called ‘keynote circuit’ following his time as POTUS.
Having served two consecutive terms in the post, it feels undeniably surreal to hear that he will be coming to visit, especially amid the obvious recent development of our very own Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, having now become the 59th British PM.
As for Obama, it’s no surprise that he booked the biggest venue possible for his debut talk in 0161.
Presented by SeatUnique, who specialise in affordable but premium hospitality seats/tickets for live entertainment, it goes without saying that this is an unprecedented moment for the venue, specifically.
Set to arrive on 15 October, tickets go live from 10am at the end of this month, with official Co-op members pre-sale passes available from the same time on Wednesday, 29 July.
You can get ready to grab your tickets right HERE.
Manchester is an international city and its popularity is growing rapidly. Barack Obama, former US President is reportedly coming to Manchester this October. pic.twitter.com/9twbfaIWbI
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (via Co-op Live)/Pixabay (via Picryl.com)
News
Greater Manchester moorland fires still burning after more than two weeks
Emily Sergeant
Firefighters tackling moorland fires across Greater Manchester are still at work more than two weeks later.
Most notably, a blaze broke out on the evening of Saturday 11 July near the popular beauty spot of Dovestone Reservoir in Oldham, prompting a major multi-agency response with fire crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) working hard in challenging conditions to contain the fire and prevent further spread across the moorland.
Specialist wildfire resources, command support units, drone technology, and partner agencies were also deployed as operations continue across multiple sectors of the incident.
However, firefighters are tackling Dovestone on two fronts, as the fire at Saddleworth has gone on to merge with a fire at Tintwistle, and at Swineshaw.
Greater Manchester moorland fires are still burning after more than two weeks / Credit: GMFRS
The fires have burned hundreds of hectares of moorland, which is equivalent to the size of 1,250 football pitches, the landowner told BBC News.
The fire service said the rainfall and mist over the weekend had dampened the moorlands a bit, but despite this, the fires had not been extinguished and are still being classed as a ‘major incident’.
Three arrests have been made in connection to the Dovestone Reservoir fire, including one woman who has been charged.
20-year-old Shania Care-Slede, from Hyde has been charged with aggravated arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and dangerous driving, and is next due to appear in court next month on 18 August.
“I’m incredibly proud of our firefighters, who have shown outstanding resilience and bravery this weekend to tackle these wildfires in challenging weather conditions and difficult terrain,” commented GMFRS’s head of response, Ben Levy.
Emily Sergeant -
20th March 2023 
