Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of the strike in a dispute over jobs, wages and conditions, the RMT union has announced.
The result was announced within four hours of the close of voting for more than 40,000 railway workers.
The RMT said: “Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly in favor of the strike through Network Rail and train companies, in the largest support for the industrial action of railway workers since the privatization “.
Of the 71% of voters, 89% were in favor of the strike, which represents 63% of the voting staff and more than 25,000 workers.
RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 out of 15 train operators voted in favor of “strike action and pre-strike action”.
Train operators whose RMT members voted in favor of the strike include Avanti West Coast, Greater England, GWR, LNER, Northern and South Western Railway.
LNER issued a statement saying, “We are aware of a possible industrial action announced by the RMT. We will review the outcome of this industrial action proposal and provide updates on how it may affect LNER services.”
Staff working for GTR, which covers Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern, only voted in favor of “pre-strike action”.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “Today’s overwhelming support from railroad workers is a demand for the union’s approach and sends a clear message that members want a decent pay rise, job security and without mandatory dismissals.
“Our NEC [National Executive Committee] We will now meet to discuss a strike schedule from mid-June, but we sincerely hope that ministers will encourage employers to return to the negotiating table and reach a reasonable agreement with the RMT.
The union says it will now “demand urgent talks with Network Rail and the 15 train companies that voted to find a negotiated solution to the wage, job and security dispute.”
Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “The RMT has been launched here because everyone loses if there is a strike.
“As a public body, we have been working to provide a salary increase that taxpayers can afford, and we continue to discuss this with our unions.
“We urge the RMT to sit with us and keep talking, not walking, so that we can find a compromise and avoid harmful industrial action.
“We are at a key point in the recovery of the pandemic railway. The taxpayer has provided the industry with additional life support worth £ 16 billion over the last two years and this cannot continue. Travel habits have changed forever and the railway must also change to adapt to this new reality.
“Any industrial action now would be disastrous for the recovery of our industry and severely affect the supply and transportation chains of vital goods. It would also serve to undermine our collective ability to pay the wage increases we want to make.”
Steve Montgomery, chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, on behalf of train operators, said: “Our railways need to be adapted to attract more passengers and reduce our operating costs. It’s not fair to ask taxpayers to continue to take on the burden when there are other vital services that need public support.
“No one wins when industrial action threatens to disrupt the lives and livelihoods of passengers and businesses and jeopardizes the recovery of the industry. We urge RMT management to behave responsibly and talk to us. to find a way to avoid damaging industrial action and secure the long-term future of the industry. “
“All companies want to support their staff and the railway is no exception. All train operators want to offer their staff a pay raise and are working hard to make that happen. But as an industry, we need to change the way we work and improve productivity to help pay our way.
“Alternatives to asking taxpayers to take on the burden after the government has contributed more than £ 16bn to the industry during Covid, or asking passengers to pay even higher fares when they too feel affected, just don’t It’s fair. “
Transport for Wales and ScotRail did not take part in the RMT vote, but ScotRail is currently canceling 700 trains a day as a result of a dispute involving the machinists’ union, Aslef.
The white-collar railway union, TSSA, is threatening what its general secretary called “a summer of discontent”. Members are being consulted ahead of a possible strike vote if wages do not keep pace with inflation, which reached 9% last week.