Rail union the RMT (the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union) rejected a new pay offer on Sunday night which could have seen strike action averted.
The union has demanded a meeting on Monday morning in order to reopen negotiations around "job security, working conditions and pay". The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) was a given a mandate to make the offer by the Department for Transport. The offer included a four per cent pay increase this year and next, though this would be tied to "vast changes to working practices", the RMT said.
The union said the new offer would see "huge job losses" and the "closure of all ticket offices". The Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the union’s announcement was “incredibly disappointing” and was unfair to the public, passengers and the rail workforce.
The latest offer came after months where the RDG had not made any offer at all. The RDG is the association bringing together rail companies.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "We have rejected this offer as it does not meet any of our criteria for securing a settlement on long term job security, a decent pay rise and protecting working conditions.
"The RDG and DfT who sets their mandate, both knew this offer would not be acceptable to RMT members. If this plan was implemented, it would not only mean the loss of thousands of jobs but the use of unsafe practices such as [driver-only operated trains] and would leave our railways chronically understaffed.
"RMT is demanding an urgent meeting with the RDG [...] with a view to securing a negotiated settlement on job security, working conditions and pay."
The RDG said its offer will deliver "vital and long overdue" changes to working arrangements. A statement said a draft framework agreement gives the RMT the chance to call off its planned industrial action and put the offer to its membership.
The strikes, on December 13-14 and 16-17, coupled with an overtime ban over Christmas, would result in a month of disruption on the network, said the RDG.. Employers tabled the draft framework agreement after several weeks of intensive talks.
A spokesperson from the RDG said: “This is a fair and affordable offer in challenging times, providing a significant uplift in salary for staff. If approved by the RMT, implementation could be fast-tracked to ensure staff go into Christmas secure in the knowledge that they will receive this enhanced pay award early in the New Year alongside a guarantee of job security until April 2024.
“With revenue stuck at 20% below pre-pandemic levels and many working practices unchanged in decades, taxpayers who have contributed £1,800 per household to keep the railway running in recent years, will balk at continuing to pump billions of pounds a year into an industry that desperately needs to move forward with long-overdue reforms and that alienates potential customers with sustained industrial action.
“We urge the RMT leadership to put this offer to its membership and remove the threat of a month of industrial action over Christmas that will upset the travel plans of millions and cause real hardship for businesses which depend on Christmas custom."
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