A pay deal has been struck between the RMT union and Network Rail. The agreement means that the threat of strike action, which could have caused disruption for train travellers, has been avoided. The dispute came about after Network Rail announced it planned to lose 1,500 maintenance workers and redesign rosters to allow more work to be carried out at weekends and in the evenings.

Maintenance workers have now been offered a 7 per cent pay rise to be implemented before December next year; an additional payment of £2,000 to be delivered before this Christmas and the promise that there will be no involuntary redundancies. The RMT said it would recommend union members agree to the offer.

Network Rail said it was pleased the matter had been resolved. A spokesman added that if the vote by members of the RMT is positive, Network Rail will be able to proceed with ensuring the security of its maintenance crews.

Bob Crow, the RMT’s general secretary, announced that he was pleased with the deal. He added that the result was proof that if workers stood united under the banner of a union, they could win. He went on to say it showed that other workers did not have to sit back and accept the job cuts and wage freezes being heaped upon them by doom merchants.

Mr Crow also pointed out that threatening strike action was a necessary and effective way of showing that Network Rail’s maintenance workers were not going to take a hit because of problems resulting from the banking crisis.