NEWS.CATEGORY: Industrial
GWR: 2026 Members pay offer referendum
Since I last wrote to you there have been some developments on Pay.
As the company has communicated to members 2 of the other trade unions have accepted the offer with another currently allowing their members to vote on the deal with a recommendation to accept.
TSSA position
Internally within TSSA there has been a decision to allow Company level reps to decide on the way forward as long as it is clear that no other unions will be in a position to get a higher offer. As GWR’s pay offer applies to all of the collectively bargained grades, this means I have been authorised to seek the GWR Company council reps permission to run a referendum.
Clarity on the offer received
Clearly, we have had concerns on the impact to the General Grades who may have to accept a change of terms and conditions to receive the pay offer. Therefore, since my last communication I have also been pressing the company for clarity on the wording of their offer (see below):
Offer given
“An Increase of 3.6%, along with the items listed below.
- Extend colleague notice periods from one month to three months (effective 1 October 2026). This will apply to all colleagues who currently have one month’s notice period and will be applicable to both colleagues and the employer.
- A commitment to positively support a collaborative review of staff accommodation, including locker provision.
- A commitment to positively support a collaborative review of our flexible working policy, application, and existing arrangements.
This pay offer is for all eligible collectively recognised colleagues, effective from their respective pay anniversary dates.
In addition, any ex-colleagues who have left GWR between their pay anniversary date and the date of the mandate (4th June 2026), will also be eligible for any back pay due. This excludes any colleagues who was dismissed for any reason or failed their probation.”
I have received clarity in writing from GWR that for clerical grades who currently have the following wording in their contracts in relation to Notice periods:
“10.2 After successful completion of your probationary period referred to in clause 9 in the employment contract, the prior written notice required from you to terminate your employment shall be 4 weeks.
10.3 After successful completion of your probationary period, the prior written notice required from the company to terminate your employment shall be as follows:
| Up to one months employment | No Notice |
| Up to and including two years employment | One weeks notice |
| Over two years’ but less than 12 years’ employment | One weeks notice for each year of continuous employment |
| 12 years’ or more employment | 12 weeks’ notice |
“
That the proposals would mean that:
10.2 (Employee notice) would change from 4 weeks to 3 months
10.3 (Company notice) would change to 3 months’ notice following probation period”
For grades where the current notice after probation is 4 weeks for employees and the company, this will change to 3 months for both.
I hope that all our members regardless of how they are effected (or not) by this element of the proposal would understand that we wanted to get absolute clarity for members before they were asked to vote on the offer, given that the wording of the original pay offer is not reflective of the current contractual wordings or arrangements.
Company Council Representatives Decision
Therefore, having discussed this with your TSSA company council representatives they have instructed me to put the offer out for a vote of members on a neutral basis where we don’t make any form of recommendation but simply receive your views on whether we should accept the offer or not.
Non-Collectively Bargained Grades
We are yet to hear what will happen to those grades outside of collective bargaining, our assumption is that the company would need to seek a separate mandate from the dft to apply a pay award to those roles but if for any reason the award given to them is any less then we will be in contact with those members to canvas their views. We would still encourage all our members to vote on this offer on the basis that we hope the company will follow its previous actions of paying everyone the same amount.
Please Vote!
Therefore, please vote on the offer by 9am on Monday 20th July - Members will receive the link to vote direct via email
Your views are important. Remember only trade union members get a say on the offer so please encourage your colleagues who aren’t yet in a union to join us today at www.tssa.org.uk/join