Rail passengers will breathe a sigh of relief this evening, with the news breaking that the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has suspended all strike action following on from a brand-new pay offer.
The union took to social media to announce that all planned industrial action has ceased through the offer - with more information in the pipeline over the coming days.
It follows on from a number of walkouts from earlier in 2023, causing disruption and misery for millions of British commuters who actively rely on the transport network to get from a to b.
Read more: Train strikes - Further RMT walkouts planned in long-running dispute over pay and conditions
The Mirror reports now, with the new agreement in place, the issues could be at an end - following just two days after industrial action by ambulance workers was also called off as the Government finally agreed to enter pay talks with union leaders.
In a brief statement, the RMT said: "The RMT National Executive Committee has taken the decision to suspend all industrial action on Network Rail following receipt of a new offer from the employer. Further updates will be given on all aspects of the national rail dispute in the coming days."
Members of the RMT were due to walk out on March 16, 18 and 20, and April 1, at 14 train operators after receiving a 'dreadful' pay offer from Network Rail. Earlier today Transport Secretary Mark Harper had asked the RMT union to let members consider the 'good' pay offer on the table.
Speaking in Northumberland he said: "I was very pleased the members of the TSSA, one of the rail unions, accepted the offers from both the train operating companies and Network Rail. That's good to see, they are fair and reasonable offers that have been delivered. They're the best and final offers.
"I would urge the RMT to put the offers that they've had to their members and let their members make the decision, and I think they're good offers."
Last month Union leader Mick Lynch said staff were 'loud and clear' that offers put forward by Network Rail and operating companies were not good enough. He said industrial action would continue 'for as long as it takes' to agree an acceptable deal.
Mr Lynch said at the time: "We have carried out an in-depth consultation of our 40,000 members and the message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers. Our members cannot accept the ripping up of their terms and conditions or to have safety standards on the railway put into jeopardy under the guise of so-called modernisation.
"If our union did accept these offers, we would see a severe reduction in scheduled maintenance tasks, making the railways less safe, the closure of all ticket offices and thousands of jobs stripped out of the industry when the railways need more investment not less."
Rail workers have gone on strike several times since since June last year. Several events, including Premier League football matches, had been rescheduled as a result of the planned strike action.
Network Rail's chief negotiator Tim Shoveller previously accused the union's leadership of 'choosing politics over people'. He claimed: "During months of talks we have made multiple concessions, compromises and offers in our determination to secure a deal.
"Thousands of employees are telling us they want the improved offer that we have tabled, an offer worth at least 9 per cent over two years - rising to over 14 per cent for the lowest paid, provides job security with no compulsory redundancies and 75 per cent discounted rail travel."
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