National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers

NETWORK RAIL

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service

2025

1
Summary of Claims

This document represents the RMT’s application on behalf of our members working for Network
Rail for an improvement in pay and conditions of service from 2025, consisting of:

1. A substantial pay award above the level of the Retail Price Index

2. A minimum flat rate increase to underpin the agreed percentage increase to add benefit to
those on the lowest salaries

3. Guarantee of No Compulsory redundancies

4. A new Job Security Agreement through an enhanced PTR&R agreement

5. Reduction in the working week

6. Abolish Performance Related Pay Bonuses

7. Annual leave

8. London & Southeast Allowances

9. Full Travel Facilities for all

10. Increased banding for Role Clarity Band 5-8

RMT Claims

1. A substantial pay award above the level of the Retail Price Index

2
In the last three years, RMT members working for Network Rail have continued to deliver the
railway recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic with significant increases in passenger use and
passengers returning to our railways in ever-increasing numbers. According to the Government
statistics, National Rail use over September 20241 Averaged 97% of pre-pandemic levels, with many
days exceeding 100% of pre-pandemic passenger levels.

RPI, which includes housing costs and excludes high earners’ spending, is the inflation measure for
negotiating pay. RPI is also used to calculate index-linked government bonds, privately issued index-
linked bonds, National Savings and Investments, Corporation Tax, Business Rates, Alcohol Duty,
Tobacco Duty, Gaming Duty, Air Passenger Duty, Vehicle Excise Duty, Climate Change Levy, car
and van Fuel Benefit Charge, regulated rail fares, regulation of water and sewerage charges,
indexation of British Telecom’s wholesale charges and interest payments on student loans.

The RMT regards the Retail Price Index as the only relevant index for these negotiations and
expects an agreed settlement above the level of the Retail Price Index as of November 2024
(published December 2024).

2. A minimum flat rate increase for those on the lowest salaries

The cost-of-living crisis most impacts those on the lowest pay. Therefore, they should be protected
through a guaranteed minimum flat rate increase.

3. Guarantee of No Compulsory redundancies

In recognition of the heroic work Network Rail’s key workers have been undertaking to enable our
railway to recover from the COVID-19 crisis quickly, RMT requests that the guarantee of no
compulsory redundancies commitment be extended as part of the settlement for the duration of
the Control Period 7 (CP7). Many thousands of RMT members within the scope of these
negotiations are covered by the benefits of the guarantee against redundancy within the existing
Promotion, Transfer, Redundancy and Resettlement Arrangements (PTR&R). Over the last few
years, Network Rail has welcomed no compulsory redundancy commitment encompassing the
whole workforce within the scope of these negotiations for the period of the pay award. This
ensures that experience and skills are retained within the organisation. RMT demands that a No-

1
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65257d50244f8e000d8e736f/COVID-19-transport-use-
statistics.ods
3
Compulsory Agreement is extended for the life of this pay award or to the implementation of
demand No.4

4. A new Job Security Agreement delivered through an enhanced PTR&R agreement

Network Rail faces a series of challenges to continue to recover the railway and renew a railway
that is safe, resilient in the face of increasingly extreme climate events, can service a new generation
of rolling stock using decarbonised traction technology and works more closely with train operating
companies in a coordinated, cross-industry fashion. These changes must be managed in ways that
ensure that Network Rail maintains the vast reserves of knowledge and experience in its workforce
and builds capacity for the railway of the future. For this reason, RMT is seeking to deliver a Job
Security Agreement through an enhanced and updated PTR&R agreement. We request that
Network Rail agrees in principle to an updated and enhanced PTR&R agreement that maintains the
intended operation of PTR&R.

5. Reduction in the working week without loss of pay

Employees in the UK work among the most extended hours in the EU. However, in a safety-critical
industry such as transport, adequate paid time away from work is essential to facilitate workers’ rest
and recuperation. Given the increasingly prolonged and onerous responsibilities almost everyone has
outside the workplace, members are understandably concerned about improving their work-life
balance.

Network Rail continues to operate many working week hours arrangements and shift work has
intensified under the twin pressures of Modernising Maintenance and staff shortages. Recent surveys
and research findings indicate that many Network Rail staff are at breaking point, reporting
relationship breakdowns, unmanageable fatigue, stress, sleeplessness and poor health. RMT is seeking
immediate negotiations to address the crisis in work-life balance by moving towards the RMT’s
policy position of a maximum 32-hour 4-day week without loss of pay at the earliest opportunity.

6. Abolish Performance Related Pay Bonuses

RMT Union was appalled by Network Rail's withholding of Performance-Related Pay (PRP) Bonuses
to our members who took strike action in previous years. Network Rail's stance penalises and
discriminates against members for exercising their human right to associate and participate in lawful
4
trade union activities. Network Rail’s actions also breached its own PRP scheme rules by withholding
pay in year one, when no industrial action was taken.

The PRP bonus scheme is even further exposed when looking at current Directors' pay and bonuses
against falling performance arising from the disastrous Modernising Maintenance programme and
funding cuts.

Directors Remuneration

• Andrew Haines salary remains at £591,000 15 x the salary of the 25th percentile of Network
Rail employees (£38,068)
• Andrew Haines continues as a Director of RDG and receives a free travel pass for this
Directorship
• Jeremy Westlake's total remuneration is £430,000, although there were no details of either
Andrew Haines or Jeremy Westlake’s performance-related payments as, at the time of the
annual report’s publication, the Secretary of State had not signed it off.
• Lord Hendy continued to receive £315,000 as a Network Rail Chair before resigning to join
the Government.
• Total Exec and Non-Exec Director Remuneration is £1,697,000 in 2023/2024

The Network Rail PRP bonus scheme is discretionary and not a contractual obligation, so the
decision to exclude RMT members has been taken in bad faith. It is a transparent attempt to divide
the workforce and undermine your union by specifically rewarding those who refused to stand in
solidarity with union members taking essential strike action. As a result, RMT requests that this
divisive scheme be abolished and reinvested.

7. Annual leave

RMT seeks to negotiate an increase in annual leave entitlement for Network Rail employees. Work-
life balance is well known to be essential for employees, and employer policies that support it can aid
recruitment and retention, productivity, and staff welfare.
RMT believes that an incremental increase in the annual leave entitlement for Network Rail
employees would benefit staff, and it is seeking to commence negotiations around this issue.

8. London & Southeast Allowances

5
These allowances are an integral part of the pay package in the regions where they are applicable.
For those members living in the Southeast and London, the effects of the continued cost of living,
especially housing and travel, are felt more keenly. London weighting and associated allowances have
fallen well behind these increases and should be increased substantially to reflect the actual cost of
living in the Southeast or London.

9. Full travel facilities for all

The RMT continues to seek the restoration of full railway travel facilities across the industry. We
request that Network Rail supports and promotes such a scheme on an industry-wide basis in any
forum where the opportunity arises. Providing two-tier travel facilities for the workforce disappoints
railway and other transport employees. A member might have spent the last decade working
alongside a colleague doing the same job. Yet, one receives the full entitlement because s/he was
employed on the railways/ in transport before privatisation, and the other does not. The nominal
administrative cost to the company of extending full travel facilities is minimal, and there is no
justifiable reason for withholding some employees' benefits.

It is important to note that Network Rail Director Andrew Haines enjoys full travel facilities.

10. Increased banding for Role Clarity Band 5-8

This demand has been repeated repeatedly in successive pay submissions, and the employer has
dismissed these demands, claiming that the bandings reflect current market rates. Since the creation
of Role Clarity in 2002, the company has rarely lifted the ceiling.

The reality for our Role Clarity members is that the pay bands have not increased in line with
the rising cost of living. Many Band 5 to 8 members have received incremental increases in their pay,
which take them above the upper level of their band. However, this is not reflected in their overall
pay level. Network Rail’s policy is that any earnings above that level are treated as “ex gratia” and
are not consolidated into pay, which impacts our members’ pensions & consolidation opportunities
on future pay rises; this must change.