The possibility of rail strikes has moved a step closer as a union has set a deadline for bosses to rule out compulsory redundancies.
The leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) has given Network Rail until February 21 to commit to ruling out compulsory cuts and avoid an industrial dispute.
Manuel Cortes said he had "grave concerns" that job cuts planned by the company would undermine safety and spark a dispute with the union.
TSSA is calling for a no-compulsory-redundancy agreement for 2022 as jobs are being cut from management grades.
Mr Cortes wrote: "I have grave concerns around the impact the cuts to staff will have on the future safe running of the railway, for the travelling public, our members, and their colleagues.
"We need assurance that Network Rail has a full understanding and is taking all steps necessary to ensure that the industry remains safe to use and safe to work.
"We have well-established national collective bargaining agreements covering all our members in Network Rail.
"Despite the devolved nature of the business, Network Rail remains a single entity, therefore all consultation on the modernisation of Network Rail must be held at a national level.
"We see this as one of the essential components in helping secure our members' jobs, allowing for national redeployment across all regions and functions.
"We have made it clear that we cannot and will not accept these cuts being achieved through compulsory redundancies."
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail regional director, said: "Our railway is in a financial crisis, reliant on Government handouts to keep its head above water as passenger numbers continue to struggle to return to anything like normal.
"We need to save millions of pounds and by working with our trades unions we hope to reduce the impact on our workforce.
"But it's undeniable that management grades have grown disproportionately compared to the rest of the company in recent years and we hope that most roles to be lost will be through voluntary leavers and normal turnover, avoiding compulsory redundancies as far as possible."
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