TRANSPORT union RMT has pledged an industry-wide campaign of co-ordinated industrial action to smash through the government’s pay freeze.

Privateer train-operators Network Rail and Transport for London were among employers notified by unions today that workers who helped keep the economy moving throughout the pandemic will not accept real-terms pay cuts.

RMT’s “Bust the transport worker pay freeze” campaign was launched as its research revealed that private rail companies alone were syphoning more than £570 million a year from the industry in profits, as inflation rose to 2.1 per cent.

The union said it had moved onto a “dispute footing” with every employer seeking to impose a freeze or minimal pay rises and emphasised that it would campaign alongside other unions against “workplace austerity.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “It is scandalous that transport workers, who have kept Britain moving throughout the Covid pandemic at well documented personal risk, are being rewarded with the government-imposed kick in the teeth of a pay freeze.

“Our members are watching their pay lose value month by month while the profiteers are laughing all the way to the bank.

“It is time to cut corporate profits and increase our members’ pay.

“RMT's executive has made it clear that the threat of pay freezes, job cuts and attacks on pensions and working conditions will be met with a coordinated campaign of industrial action, and we will be working with unions facing the same workplace austerity to maximise our impact.

“The government needs to lift the pay-freeze shackles from the transport sector and allow us to get on with the business of negotiating pay rises for our members with their employers.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Throughout the pandemic we have invested almost £12billion to support the rail industry and protect frontline jobs and services. We are immensely grateful to everyone that has worked so hard to keep the railway running.

“The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail outlines our commitment to creating a modern railway that works for its passengers and provides value for money to taxpayers, and a flexible and sustainable workforce is key to this."