TRACK WORKERS have again called off plans for the first national rail strike in over 20 years after bosses came up with an improved offer.

RMT members at Network Rail were due to walk out for 24 hours from Thursday afternoon, then stage a two-day stoppage next week, in an ongoing dispute over pay and job security.

But a revised offer thrashed out in talks at conciliation service Acas will see workers receive a 2 per cent pay rise backdated to January, followed by an inflation-level rise next year.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Following extensive Acas talks throughout the weekend, RMT has now received a revised offer that enables us to suspend the planned industrial action while we consult in full on the details of the revised package with our Network Rail representatives.”

Staff were initially offered a measly £500 non-consolidated lump sum for this year, followed by inflation-level rises for three years.

Unions were also concerned that workers were only protected from compulsory redundancies for the first half of the proposed four-year deal.

After planned strike action over the spring bank holiday was called off, bosses proposed a two-year deal with 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent pay rises.

Fellow rail union TSSA said this revised deal would offer a “major advance,” but RMT activists’ decision to hold out against the management was vindicated yesterday.

A “comprehensive job security package” will now be agreed between bosses and reps within the next six months.

Mr Cash said reps had agreed a 28-day extension to the ballot mandate, which would allow the union to reinstate the strike before July 6.