Furness line group reacts to offer being put to RMT members

Last week the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced that it would put an offer from the train operator body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to a vote by its members.

The RMT and Aslef unions have been engaging in strike action over a long-running dispute over pay. 

Strikes will be called off for six months if RMT members accept the pay deal.

On November 8, RDG and RMT put together a Memorandum of Understanding on the current dispute. This will now be put to RMT members in each of the train operating companies in a referendum vote, including Northern which operates the Furness and Lakes Lines, and Avanti West Coast which provides connecting services at Lancaster and Oxenholme to London and Scotland. 

The Department for Transport called the offer 'fair and reasonable.' 

READ MORE: Northern Rail apologises for cancellations on the Furness line

They said: "The Rail Delivery Group’s offer guarantees no compulsory redundancies and a fair pay rise, while ensuring we can take forward much-needed reform to secure the future of our railways."

RMT said, if accepted, there will be negotiations on proposed reforms to take place at the local train operating company level through the established collective bargaining structures. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "This is a welcome development and our members will now decide in an e-referendum whether they want to accept this new offer from the RDG."

Derek Faulds, from FLAG, said: "We have gone 12 months with industrial action by the RMT and I think they should accept the deal that is offered. 

"I admit the Furness Line is a bit patchy with cancellations. Things should get back to normal, we do rely upon the Furness Line. There is no other [quick] form of transport, it's a long way round by car. I know it's a little bit unreliable at the moment but I think it will get back to normal."