UK railway strike broadens as second union joins July 27 walkout

UK railway workers said they’d walk out for 24 hours on July 27 to protest a what one union called a “paltry” pay offer, in what would be the second major strike of the summer.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said staff rejected the offer from Network Rail, which runs the UK’s rail infrastructure. Later Wednesday, the white-collar Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association said its members at Avanti West Coast would join the one-day strike.

The threat of further disruption comes after rail travel across the UK was largely halted by a three-day rail strike in June, the biggest in more than three decades. Separately, Britain’s train drivers union said this week that members voted for industrial action over a pay dispute, potentially adding to a wave of stoppages that’s hit the country across a number of sectors. 

RMT, calling the pay proposal “paltry,” said that Network Rail had proposed a 4% increase in the first year, followed by a possible 4% in the second year, which was conditional on members accepting new terms and conditions. The TSSA said it was taking its action as a “last resort” after the lack of a fresh offer from Avanti West following the result of a ballot at the end of June. 

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps criticized the strike threats, saying the RMT had been offered a “fair deal.”

“The RMT has already opted for more destructive strikes and is hellbent on causing further misery for people across the country,” Shapps said in a statement. “The industry is already on life support and by insisting on working against its employers, instead of with them, the RMT risks pulling the plug for good.”

The UK government is facing widespread anger from labor groups over pay and working conditions as inflation continues to spiral higher. Travel disruptions have also engulfed airlines and airports, where staff shortages and strike threats have led to chaos.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has called for caution on pay awards to prevent prices rising further, frustrating unions seeking better deals.

After rejecting the Network Rail offer, RMT said it hadn’t received a proposal or guarantees on jobs from train operating companies.

The RMT said it remained open to talks.