Mark Harper

Rail workers will be balloted " soon" on whether to stage fresh strikes later in the year, the RMT Union 's General Secretary Mick Lynch has said.

Mr Lynch told The Bbc The Union wanted to " keep talking" about pay, But felt the government was " trying to make an example out of the railways".

On Friday, The Union rejected what was described as a " best and final" offer from The Body representing rail firms.

The government and Network Rail have condemned the decision.

Mr Lynch branded the offers " dreadful" while Transport Secretary Mark Harper called The Union 's decision " a Kick In The Teeth for passengers".

The long-running dispute over pay, job cuts and changes to working conditions has led rail workers from A Number of unions to strike over numerous days since the summer.

No further strikes are currently planned by the RMT - Britain's largest rail workers' Union - But it has a mandate to call further strikes up until May.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 's Today programme, Mr Lynch said a new ballot process would be sought So There was an overlapping " continuous mandate" for industrial action.

He went on: " We did put it [the pay offer] to our members. There was a universal rejection of what's on The Table . "

He Said staff " feel under attack" and some had not had a pay rise for The Last Four Years .

But he added the RMT " want to keep talking" to the rail companies, despite fears ministers were trying to make an example out of the rail dispute.

" Ministers have told me That Face to face - Mark Harper and (transport minister) Huw Merriman - That they can't offer us anything fresh because it would set a precedent for nurses and other public sector workers, and they want to hold this line. "

Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group, which represent train companies, have offered striking workers a pay deal worth 9% over two years.

But unions have said That any pay offer should - as inflation sits above 10%.

Mr Lynch described the offer as " very puny" saying it " on pay, job security or working conditions".

The RMT said it would now seek further meetings with Network Rail and the RDG to try to work towards a settlement.

The latest pay offer did not go to a vote of the full RMT membership.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: " It is now clear That no realistic offer is ever going to be good enough for the RMT leadership. "

And Tim Shoveller, Network Rail chief negotiator, said the RMT was " condemning its members to a further round of fruitless, pointless and costly strikes".

" We have made multiple concessions, compromises and offers, while the RMT has shifted on nothing. It's time for a second referendum on our new, revised offer and time to end this and work together to rebuild our railway. "

Mr Lynch said pay offers without conditions attached had been made in Wales and Scotland - where there is no Department for Transport oversight - and That " Something More along those lines" would be more acceptable.

Meanwhile, negotiations are ongoing for other rail workers.

The drivers' main Union , Aslef, says it hopes to have more talks next week.

And a smaller Union , the TSSA, said on Friday That thousands of its members would be given a vote on the offers from The Train companies.

Source of news: bbc.com