Rail union agrees to talks to avert strike action

Rail
strikes could be averted this summer as the RMT union and Network Rail today
agreed to stage in-depth talks to settle the dispute over pensions, travel
facilities and pay.

More
than 7,000 signal workers and maintenance staff were set to be involved in the
worst industrial unrest on the railways for a decade after they rejected a 3
per cent pay offer and opposed plans to end final salary pensions for new
employees.

Network
Rail maintains that the pay offer is ‘inflation busting’ and said the pension
scheme for new employees, a money purchase scheme, was one of the best in the
market.

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RMT
general secretary Bob Crow said the union would resume talks with Network Rail
next week.

By Michael Millar