Union chief Mick Lynch has raised hopes of a train strikes “compromise” in the next week as new talks open.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) boss offered an olive branch as his members began another 48-hour walkout today - piling misery on millions of commuters in the run-up to Christmas.
Last night Mr Lynch attended talks with Network Rail and train firms convened by the Tory government.
There will now be further talks “in order to find resolutions” - while the strikes continue.
The general secretary said he hoped “we can progress these talks to maybe get some solutions in the next week or so”.
If the six-month dispute finally ended it could avoid a Network Rail walkout on Christmas Eve and a full-blown strike from January 3.
But the RMT is demanding Tory ministers take ‘driver-only’ operation off the table and let firms improve an 8% pay offer spread across two years.
Mr Lynch warned there were “no actual negotiations” yet - only “some soundings-out of what might be developed”.]
But he told Sky News: “Resolutions to disputes are about compromises.
“We understand what the companies want and they understand what we need.
“So we need some compromise on some of the conditions they're putting on the offer. And we'll need an improvement in the payoff.
“But that is achievable in my view and in the view of my negotiating team.”
Calling on Tory ministers to “facilitate” a better offer from train firms, he added: “If they can come towards us a little bit, we can maybe work up some solutions.”
A Downing Street spokesman refused to say the government would drop its demand for driver-only operation, saying "we do need to see modernisation".
He added: "Obviously, I wouldn't get into details of the private discussions... but it remains our position that we want an agreement to be reached.
"We think there's a fair and generous deal on the table, but we've been clear that we want to see parties work to try and reach an agreement."
Mr Lynch appeared to be pitching for a compromise after heated clashes with interviewers during this week’s earlier strike.
He was privately criticised by even some Labour MPs after he accused the BBC of “parroting” Tory “propaganda” in a furious live radio clash, adding: “It’s about time you showed some partiality towards your listeners and to working class people in this country”.
It comes as RMT members walk out again today and tomorrow at 14 companies and Network Rail, with passengers urged to only travel if necessary.
Rail minister Huw Merriman said there is "clearly an appetite” to strike a deal after the TSSA union accepted a pay offer from Network Rail last night.
But Mr Lynch hit back: “The TSSA and Unite are minuscule in Network Rail - we’ve got eight or nine times their membership”.
The walkout follows two days of RMT strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday and is the latest strike in a winter of woe for the Government, which is being blamed for a series of industrial disputes.
On Thursday nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland went on strike in the Royal College of Nursing's first national action.
RCN leader Pat Cullen warned that action by nurses would escalate unless ministers were prepared to get around the table and negotiate in the dispute over pay and conditions.
