Ballot papers are being sent to 12,000 infrastructure workers after they rejected an offer on the harmonisation of terms and conditions by more than 99 per cent.
Some 5,000 signallers and other key staff are also being balloted over pay and condit
ions after rejecting an offer of an additional 0.1 per cent on the first year of a two-year deal.
Both ballots conclude on Thursday, May 22. The harmonisation dispute follows months of talks aimed at creating a single set of terms and conditions for maintenance staff, many of whom transferred to Network Rail from the private sector
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: 'The company is now saying that our members can stay on their existing terms, but they are already moving to sneak inferior conditions in through the back door with a list of issues it now wants to "discuss" separately.
'We know that means an attack on everyone's terms and conditions, not least because the company is looking to cut its maintenance budget by up to 12 per cent year on year.'
Peter Bennett, Network Rail director of human resources, said: 'We understand our people are concerned about the cost of living.
'That is why a fair and reasonable offer is on the table for our signallers – 4.8 per cent increase this year and RPI plus 0.5 per cent next year. But the RMT want even more. Their demands are unreasonable.'
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