While I'm very sympathetic to your cause you do realise that you're never going to get anything that matches the current cost of living? The government I'm sure would rather rip up every last mile of track and put you out of a job.
It should be pretty obvious by now that the government doesn't really care that much about the future of the railways.
Had to reply to this utter nonsense.
The integrated rail plan is the largest commitment to rail investment ever and was announced in 2021. 96 billion.
The future is and will be rail travel for a variety of reasons, cost (should be cheaper), Emissions, reliability ( a joke in recent years). On a packed commuter train into London I'm still taking 1000+ into Central London. That's every train full multiple trains an hour into London core. Nothing else can compete in a city in regards to moving people around quickly, efficiently and at low cost.
100% reform needed, needs to be better management and better practices, lower pricing model (much like the rest of Europe).
My train company is the most profitable in the country and this paltry offer of 4 + 4 is a joke, the fact rdg is negotiating after saying the government isn't involved is a joke, the management do not want Sundays inside, it's cheaper to run on a voluntary system, management dont want to be doing rosters they frankly don't have a clue and it creates far more issues in them doing it.
I'm confident no strikes would be going forward if the government would allow local negotiation, the tocs know the budget and what they can or cannot afford. We are being used as a pawn in a game between the NHS, why constantly compare drivers to nurses otherwise?