The Rail union RMT will take 3 days of coordinated strike action next month after Network Rail attempted to impose drastic changes in working practices on their staff.
Following intense negotiations with RMT, there was an agreement where the company would commit to an improved offer on pay and working towards a negotiated settlement.
However, in a dramatic U-turn, Network Rail bosses reneged on their promises of an improved pay offer and sought to impose job cuts, more unsocial hours and detrimental changes to rosters.
In a crass attempt to cut the union out of national negotiations, Network Rail have written directly to staff undermining delicate talks and have tried to rehash a previous deal that RMT has categorically rejected.
Strikes on Network Rail will now take place on November 3, 5 and 7.
In separate disputes on London Underground and Overground networks (Arriva Rail London), RMT members will take strike action on November 3.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “The dishonesty of Network Rail bosses has reached a new low in this national rail dispute.
“On the one hand they were telling our negotiators that they were prepared to do a deal while planning to torpedo negotiations by imposing unacceptable changes to our members terms and conditions.
“Our members are livid with these duplicitous tactics, and they will now respond in kind with sustained strike action.”
