2026 Pay Award

[officewalla]

Have any TOCs settle for 2026 yet and if so what was the settlement?

 

[Driver068]

GC agreed a 4.2% rise however it’s gone to a ballot

 

[I_am_Nobody]

I am hearing that SWR has had their ballot succeed with RMT and Unite, and the backpay is going in the next paydate in May.

 

[mickeyC]

Anything for Southeastern yet?

 

[EvoUK]

Nothing yet from lizzie line.

 

[craigybagel]

TfW have agreed 1 year at RPI (3.6% for this year) with drivers and 2 years for guards.

 

[galwhv69]

3% for GTR Management & Admin staff (which includes Control staff except Train Service Managers/Train Service Operations Managers)

 

[Economist]

MPs got 5% this year, for me the annual MP pay deal sets the bar for what I'd vote in favour of assuming no changes to T&Cs.

The Driver pay anniversary at my TOC is May so no news that I've heard of yet.

 

[Leon Tallis]

GWR (offer) 3.6% with conditions or 3% without

 

[whoosh]

3% for GTR Management & Admin staff (which includes Control staff except Train Service Managers/Train Service Operations Managers)

Good news you've been made an offer so quickly (April pay anniversary I assume?).
But they haven't done TL/GN drivers yet from 2025! (October)

An offer has just been accepted for Gatwick Express/Southern for October 2025, but talks have only just started for Thameslink/Great Northern, "due to having to wait for a mandate from the Department of Transport for talks to begin," *rolls eyes*

 

[galwhv69]

Good news you've been made an offer so quickly (April pay anniversary I assume?).
But they haven't done TL/GN drivers yet from 2025! (October)

An offer has just been accepted for Gatwick Express/Southern for October 2025, but talks have only just started for Thameslink/Great Northern, "due to having to wait for a mandate from the Department of Transport for talks to begin," *rolls eyes*

1st January, so at least there will be some backpay hitting the bank account lol

 

[whoosh]

1st January, so at least there will be some backpay hitting the bank account lol

Ah, so yours is late too!

They've all been late. DfT again.

 

[PlayedRex]

GWR (offer) 3.6% with conditions or 3% without

What are the conditions if you can say?

 

[traintrack2]

Any news on driver pay for southeastern and GTR drivers

 

[Brickz]

Any news on driver pay for southeastern and GTR drivers

Its been mentioned in the Trainee driver thread I believe

 

[spotter]

Any news on driver pay for southeastern and GTR drivers

Southeastern Drivers just accepted 3 year deal backdated from march 2025 as follows:
2025 is 4.5%
2026 is 5.2%
2027 is 5.5%

some productivity involved but nothing major i can see

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==

Anything for Southeastern yet?

Anything for Southeastern yet?

yes see my reply to traintrack2

 

[officewalla]

Southeastern Drivers just accepted 3 year deal backdated from march 2025 as follows:
2025 is 4.5%
2026 is 5.2%
2027 is 5.5%

some productivity involved but nothing major i can see

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Apr 2026 ==




yes see my reply to traintrack2

That seems very generous in the current climate without some big changes to something especially given that last year in my TOC for example, the DfT limited the offer to 3.something% with no strings.

 

[whoosh]

That seems very generous in the current climate without some big changes to something especially given that last year in my TOC for example, the DfT limited the offer to 3.something% with no strings.

Percentage wise maybe. But their 2027 pay still won't be as much as 2024 Southern or Thameslink pay.

 

[Twotwo]

That seems very generous in the current climate without some big changes to something especially given that last year in my TOC for example, the DfT limited the offer to 3.something% with no strings.

They are one of the lowest paid toc with the most intensive doo work. Even with this pay deal they still probably not earning as much as other tocs

 

[whoosh]

Any news on driver pay for southeastern and GTR drivers

South Eastern drivers 3 year deal, mentioned above, have productivity items:

Fleet arrangements
Training
Safety & Performance
Amended Terms & Conditions

But I don't have details of what they actually are.
Their pay anniversary is March.




Southern and Gatwick Express drivers have just had a referendum on their offer of 4.4% for October 2025 (for reference, August's RPI was 4.6%) which has been accepted.

Great Northern/Thameslink have only just commenced talks, again for an October 2025 pay award.

 

[levels]

I am hearing that SWR has had their ballot succeed with RMT and Unite, and the backpay is going in the next paydate in May.

What was the offer out of interest?

 

[Horizon22]

South Eastern drivers 3 year deal, mentioned above, have productivity items:

Fleet arrangements
Training
Safety & Performance
Amended Terms & Conditions

But I don't have details of what they actually are.
Their pay anniversary is March.

Didn't think there were many productivity items left to squeeze out at Southeastern!

 

[martin2345uk]

Eurostar agreed 3.9% for all staff that was backdated to January.

 

[A2Jon]

Does anybody know if there is a pay deal going through for West Midlands Trains?

 

[DA1]

South Eastern drivers 3 year deal, mentioned above, have productivity items:

Fleet arrangements
Training
Safety & Performance
Amended Terms & Conditions

But I don't have details of what they actually are.
Their pay anniversary is March.




Southern and Gatwick Express drivers have just had a ballot on their offer of 4.4% for October 2025 (for reference, August's RPI was 4.6%) which has been accepted.

Great Northern/Thameslink have only just commenced talks, again for an October 2025's pay award.

Very minimal. Stuff relating to in cab DOO, retirement age, route refreshers and disruption messages.

No increase in job lengths, no change with booking on arrangements etc.

Relatively good pay deal in this climate.

 

[Twin82]

Very minimal. Stuff relating to in cab DOO, retirement age, route refreshers and disruption messages.

No increase in job lengths, no change with booking on arrangements etc.

Relatively good pay deal in this climate.

Hello mate. Take it you’re happy with the Southeastern pay deal. Out of curiosity, does it close the gap between the other TOCs’ salaries? It seems like all of them are negotiating pay deals as well. Cheers.

 

[Undiscovered]

Does anybody know if there is a pay deal going through for West Midlands Trains?

RMT are due to open negotiations on 29th April. As WMT is now DfT, I suspect it'll be along the lines of other DfT TOCs.
Unsure about Drivers and Management grades.

 

[KM1991]

Are these new pay offers for station/on board grades being unpinned with a minimum £ for those on the lowest salary?

As outlined as a fundamental point for negotiators from the RMT, anyone know?

 

[Traffic71]

I imagine most offers are going to be better than whats in store for the future when we go back into public hands. Not complaining though. Drivers are well paid on the whole.

 

[Undiscovered]

I imagine most offers are going to be better than whats in store for the future when we go back into public hands. Not complaining though. Drivers are well paid on the whole.

The future will probably be Civil Servants pay rises.

At the start, there'll be an initial attempt at a bit of negotiation, but that will be quashed by a "take it and be done, or argue a bit, mess around, whatevs. We're not budging, so you'll settle, and it won't be back paid when you do, so it's your loss" attitude from on high.