Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Employee relationsLatest NewsIndustrial action / strikesTrade unions

Biggest national rail strike threatens summer

by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022
by Jo Faragher 25 May 2022 Lines could be empty if a national rail strike goes ahead in mid-June
Shutterstock
Lines could be empty if a national rail strike goes ahead in mid-June
Shutterstock

Railway workers from 15 train operating companies have voted in favour of a national rail strike during the summer.

Members of the RMT Union gave what it called the “biggest endorsement for industrial action by railway workers since privatisation”, with 89% of those who took part in the vote in favour of strike action.

Seventy-one percent of its 40,000 members took part in the strike vote, and just 11% voted against.

The union will now use the ballot results to demand talks with Network Rail and the 15 train companies who employ their members. The dispute revolves around a dispute over pay, jobs and safety.

RMT claims that Network Rail plans to cut 2,500 maintenance jobs over the next two years in a bid to make cost savings. Staff at train companies have also been subject to pay freezes and changes to terms and conditions.

The union said its members need to negotiate a pay settlement in light of the cost of living crisis after an effective pay freeze since 2020.

Rail strikes

Tube strike on 6 June to see 4,000 staff walk out 

Plan to enforce minimum service during rail strikes stokes anger 

Industrial action 

The Department for Transport said it was “hugely disappointing and premature” that the RMT had called for industrial action before entering negotiations.

The union said its leaders would meet to discuss a timetable for strike action from mid-June, a move that could disrupt summer holiday travelling.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: “Today’s overwhelming endorsement by railway workers is a vindication of the union’s approach and sends a clear message that members want a decent pay rise, job security and no compulsory redundancies.

“We sincerely hope ministers will encourage the employers to return to the negotiating table and hammer out a reasonable settlement with the RMT.”

The RMT has already announced a Tube strike this week over plans to cut 600 jobs, with 24-hour action set to take place on 6 June.

Network Rail’s chief executive Andrew Haines accused RMT of “jumping the gun”, claiming strike action would cost the organisation around £30m each day.

He said: “Everyone loses if there’s a strike. We know our people are concerned about job security and pay.

“As a public body we have been working on offering a pay increase that taxpayers can afford, and we continue to discuss this with our trades unions. We urge the RMT to sit down with us and continue to talk, not walk, so that we can find a compromise and avoid damaging industrial action.”

Haines added that travel habits had “changed forever” since the pandemic, and there was a need to modernise rail operations to create a more sustainable future.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“Any industrial action now would be disastrous for our industry’s recovery and would hugely impact vital supply and freight chains. It would also serve to undermine our collective ability to afford the pay increases we want to make,” he said.

Employee relations opportunities on Personnel Today


Browse more Employee Relations jobs

Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. Jo is also the author of 'Good Work, Great Technology', published in 2022 by Clink Street Publishing, charting the relationship between effective workplace technology and productive and happy employees. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
Six in 10 women of colour ‘hide identity’ at work
next post
Employers lack data to make IR35 worker status decisions, say MPs

You may also like

Minister defends Employment Rights Bill at Acas conference

16 May 2025

Nurses threaten strikes if pay demands not met

12 May 2025

Resident doctors to ballot for strike action

2 May 2025

Ofgem workers ballot for strike action

2 May 2025

University of East Anglia set for nine days...

2 May 2025

Unite announces further Gatwick airport strikes

2 May 2025

Acas hosts talks to end Birmingham bin strike

1 May 2025

Scottish Water workers strike in dispute over pay

22 Apr 2025

Teachers could strike if pay award not improved

16 Apr 2025

Birmingham bin strike to continue as ‘totally inadequate’...

15 Apr 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+