Train crews rake in £154m in bonuses over a decade on top of generous salaries

Railway workers, who went on another strike over pay this week, have taken home more than £150million in taxpayer-funded bonuses in recent years.

Industry data shows 20,000 signalers and track workers represented by militant union RMT have been paid around £154million in just over a decade.

When all 27,000 Network Rail signaling and track maintenance staff were brought on board, £207 million was paid out.

The top pay is on top of generous salaries, overtime, days off and bonuses for unsociable hours, with 250 signallers and track maintenance workers earning £100,000 or more.

Around 40,000 RMT members at Network Rail and 14 rail operators are preparing to stage two more 48-hour strikes from tomorrow, throwing chaos into the return to work after the bank holidays. Pictured: Travelers wait at King’s Cross railway station on December 27, 2022

Tory MPs last night said the figures disproved claims by RMT boss Mick Lynch that his members were “poor” and were further evidence his union’s strikes were politically motivated.

40,000 RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators are preparing to stage two more 48-hour strikes starting tomorrow, throwing chaos into the return to work after the bank holidays.

Only about every fifth train will run, while there will be hardly any trains in the early morning and evening hours.

Engine drivers represented by Aslef are staging a separate one-day strike on Thursday, while motorists will also suffer as National Highways traffic police and PCS union dispatcher staff begin a nationwide strike tomorrow.

Labor office workers, driver examiners, bus drivers and customer service teams at the Rural Payments Agency are also holding industrial action this week as Britain experiences another winter of discontent.

Up to 2 million workdays could be lost to strikes in December and January, the most since the 1980s, and teachers and nurses are expected to picket later this month.

Industry data shows 20,000 signalers and track workers represented by militant union RMT have been paid around £154million in just over a decade. Pictured: Passengers look at the notice boards at Euston railway station, December 27, 2022

When all 27,000 Network Rail signaling and track maintenance staff were brought on board, £207 million was paid out. Pictured: People wait at King’s Cross railway station, December 27, 2022

Tory MP Peter Bone said: “These strikes cannot be about people not being able to provide food or using food banks, it’s just nonsense.

“Most people would consider these railroad workers to be relatively wealthy. Their strikes are politically motivated and the government needs to deal long and hard with new legislation that will prevent essential services from going on strike.’

Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay said: “Many in the public sector would be envious of such generous packages.

“It is becoming apparent that the rail sector strikes are following the far left ideology of bringing down an elected Tory government rather than engaging in a serious dispute over what is always a very generous pay package.”

In June, as the RMT’s nationwide strikes began in a bitter dispute over pay and job security, Mr Lynch, whose own salary is £87,000, said at a rally: “We refuse to be poor any longer.”

However, figures obtained via Freedom of Information requests show that between 2008 and 2020 railway workers received around £7,690 in awards.

Payments are linked to a certain percentage of achievement of performance targets related to efficient operation of the rail network and financial targets.

Figures show that 64 per cent of these targets were met in 2009/10, meaning each worker received £958.50.

But in 2014/15 only 22 per cent was met and the payments were worth £330. In 2019/20 workers received £679 for reaching 45 per cent of targets.

That means their total revenues have increased by 36 percent from 2009 to 2021, while the CPI inflation rate has risen by an average of 28 percent. Bonuses for 2020/21 were halted due to Covid and workers have since forfeited them through strikes.

Figures obtained via Freedom of Information requests show that between 2008 and 2020 railway workers received around £7,690 in awards. Pictured: Travelers wait at St Pancras train station on December 27, 2022

RMT members are preparing to stage two more 48-hour strikes beginning Tuesday. Only about every fifth train will run, while there will be hardly any trains in the early morning and evening hours. Pictured: Passengers look at the notice boards at Euston railway station, December 29, 2022

A salary offer rejected by the RMT included a potential bonus of £650 for each worker. However, the union is currently rejecting a 9 percent two-year offer from Network Rail that guarantees no redundancies until January 2025.

A separate offer of 8 percent from 14 rail companies involved in the dispute was also rejected.

It could be at least six months before legislation to crack down on striking unions comes into force.

Rishi Sunak has promised “tough new laws” to keep essential public services running amid spate of industrial action.

But any bill will not be speeded up and could also face opposition from the Lords and legal action from unions.