Members
of
the
RMT

have
voted
in
favour
of
continuing
strikes
for
another
six
months
in
the
long-running
dispute
with
the
Rail
Delivery
Group
over
pay
and
jobs.
In
the
wake
of
the
result,
the
union
has
warned
that
it
is
prepared
to
call
further
stoppages
over
the
autumn
and
winter
unless
there
is
a
settlement.

The
ballot
was
held
to
comply
with
the
law
which
governs
industrial
relations,
and
involved
more
than
20,000
RMT
members
at
most
train
operators
in
England.

The
union
said
89.9
per
cent
had
voted
to
continue
strikes,
and
that
the
turnout
had
been
63.6
per
cent.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
‘I
congratulate
our
members
for
delivering
a
decisive
mandate
for
future
industrial
action
as
we
pursue
a
negotiated
settlement
of
jobs,
pay
and
conditions.

‘This
ringing
endorsement
of
RMT’s
approach
to
the
dispute
now
means
we
have
industrial
leverage
to
secure
an
improved
offer
from
the
RDG.

’The
government
who
controls
this
dispute
through
a
contractual
mandate
over
the
train
operating
companies,
must
now
allow
the
Rail
Delivery
Group
to
put
forward
a
revised
offer
so
we
can
work
towards
reaching
a
settlement.

‘However,
if
no
new
offer
is
forthcoming,
we
will
once
again
take
strike
action
in
defence
of
our
members’
livelihoods.’

The
RDG
responded:
‘We
want
to
resolve
this
dispute
and
are
acutely
aware
of
the
damaging
impact
it’s
having
on
our
passengers,
our
people
and
the
many
businesses
up
and
down
the
country
who
rely
on
rail. 
 

‘We
call
on
the
RMT
executive
to
bring
an
end
to
this
dispute
and
put
the
deal,
which
offers
job
security
guarantees
and
a
pay
rise
of
up
to
13
per
cent
to
the
lowest
paid
workers,
to
its
members
so
we
can
end
the
uncertainty
and
move
forward
with
delivering
a
better
railway
for
our
customers.’