Strike threat averted as TSSA welcomes improved pay offer from Balfour Beatty

TSSA today welcomed a new pay offer from Balfour Beatty after members voted by over 90% for industrial action.

Faced with a very real threat of strike action by TSSA members in the Central Rail System Alliance – working on railway track renewals, maintenance and upgrades. 

Balfour Beatty made an improved pay offer to the union yesterday.

The offer includes 2% for 2020 – backdated in full to 1 April 2020 – to be paid in a lump sum and 1.5% with effect from 1 April 2021.

It marks a significant improvement on Balfour Beatty’s original offer, which would have seen workers receive no pay rise for 2020 at a time when the company was making close on £50m profit and awarding bonuses of £2m to senior managers.

Welcoming the new offer, TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes: 

"Our TSSA members have shown that they will not be walked over by bully boy bosses, even in a global pandemic. Balfour Beatty’s original offer was a slap in the face for our members who went above and beyond for the company last year. I’m glad that Balfour Beatty have realised their mistake and made a significantly improved offer which we will now put to our members to vote on.

"It’s been a difficult time for everyone, but if our members in any company aren’t treated fairly we won’t hesitate to call industrial action."

Manuel Cortes added: 

"Of course, we aren't out of the woods yet. Trains coming to a halt this Summer is almost a certainty unless Network Rail gives our union a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies until at least the end of this year by next Tuesday. Failure to do so will result in our union being in dispute with the company."