May 21, 2015 3.29 pm This story is over 106 months old

Unions call off Bank Holiday rail strike affecting Lincoln services

Strike suspended: A strike which threatened to cause significant disruption on trains across Lincolnshire and the UK has been averted.

A strike which threatened to cause significant disruption on trains across Lincolnshire and the UK has been averted.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) and the smaller Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) proposed the first national walk-out in 20 years in a row with Network Rail over jobs and pay.

Revised timetables were previously scheduled by operators in the East Midlands.

However, the unions received a “revised offer” from Network Rail, causing them to suspend the strike action, which was planned for 24 hours from 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday (May 25).

In a letter to colleagues, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “After four days of talks at conciliation service Acas between your union and Network Rail management, the company has tabled a revised offer.

“Your Executive Committee has considered this offer and decided to suspend all industrial action which had been scheduled to take place on Monday, May 25 and Tuesday,  May 26.

“The suspension of the action will give your Executive Committee an opportunity to hold urgent consultations with your Area Council Representatives next week.

“Further information with regards to the revised offer will be sent to you in due course.

“Please work your shifts, overtime and all other additional hours as normal next week.”

Manuel Cortes, General Secretary of the TSSA, said: “Our negotiating team at ACAS has received a revised offer from Network Rail.

“As a result of this, they have suspended the planned industrial action, pending the outcome of a meeting of our workplace representatives next week.”