4 March 2024
Bombardier Capitalstar Overground train, built in Derby, at Watford Junction, the terminus of the newly named Lioness Line. Photo Workers.
Members of the RMT rail union working on London Overground working have won a significant victory. Their empolyer, Arriva Rail London, was forced to make an improved offer after the threat of strike action.
RMT members voted overwhelmingly to accept the improved offer and called off the strike planned for 4 and 5 March. This settled the dispute over 2023 pay and set the basis for pay rises this year and next.
Arriva upped the offer for 2023 to a backdated 6.5 per cent rise in all pay and allowances, with a minimum payment of £2,000. The increases for 2024 and 2025 will be based on the increase in Retail Price Index in February each year.
Resolve
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said, “I congratulate our London Overground members for showing such tremendous resolve in this dispute. Strong organisation and the threat of strike action has once again yielded results.”
London Overground is a network of seven routes serving suburban London and part of Hertfordshire. Arriva, ultimately owned by Deutsche Bahn the German state railway, has operated them since 2016 under franchise from Transport for London (TfL).
TfL recently attracted attention for its symbolic re-branding of the lines. More importantly, passenger numbers have returned to over 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels according to TfL analysis – with around 650,000 journeys made every weekday.