Train drivers could see their average basic salaries exceed £80,000 following a government-brokered deal with union leaders.
Analysis of union documents by The Sunday Times reveals that LNER driver salaries for a four-day week will increase by £10,000 to £81,278 under an agreement for an above-inflation pay rise of 15 per cent.
Despite this substantial increase, drivers on the east coast main line have announced 22 days of strikes covering every weekend from September 1 to November 10.
Nigel Roebuck, lead negotiator at the union Aslef, said: "We put our members first. We've now got a toxic situation — we've got morale in the gutter among our members."
LNER drivers are now the second-highest paid in the UK, following Eurostar staff who earn an average of £87,500. Eurostar confirmed its drivers would not receive the Labour-brokered increases.
Avanti drivers are set to become the third-highest paid, with salaries expected to reach £77,566. They also enjoy perks such as free first-class travel after five years of service. Avanti has agreed to pay drivers £600 a day in overtime for extra shifts, potentially boosting their annual pay by £13,000 if they work one extra day a fortnight.
The dispute between Aslef and Britain's railways has been ongoing for over two years. Drivers will now vote on a "no-strings" offer that includes backdated pay increases of 5 percent for 2022-23, 4.75 percent for 2023-24, and 4.5 percent for 2024-25.
Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow business secretary, said: "We always knew it was going to be this way. But I didn't think it would be as blatant. The unions have been funding the Labour Party for a long time ... I imagine Gordon Brown would have taken a much more careful approach to a settlement with the unions."
Despite hopes that the pay deal would end walkouts, Aslef announced LNER strikes shortly after the deal was revealed. Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, accused the operator of breaking industrial agreements and using "boorish behaviour and bullying tactics."
Roebuck insisted the dispute was "not about money" and criticised management for "not treating our people in the correct way."
Union sources suggest that tensions have been exacerbated by LNER's implementation of minimum service levels, effectively forcing some drivers to cross picket lines.
A transport department spokesman defended the offer: "Train drivers have not had a pay rise for five years. Not all drivers will be on the highest rate. This offer is below the rate of inflation and costs significantly less than the economic damage strikes have caused. This government is doing the right thing by ending strikes and returning much needed certainty for passengers across the country."
