ONCE again the RMT has inconvenienced rail travellers with strike action (August 21 and 24), while it pursues an unrealistic 10 per cent wage rise for 2002.

Our customers quite rightly want and deserve to see a resolution to the current strikes, and we strongly share their view. Indeed, we have very recently spent a number of days talking to the RMT and put forward yet another new offer.

The offer, which is a two-year deal, amounts to an 8.4 per cent pay rise -- over £1,300 for each conductor. This comprises a four per cent pay rise, plus a further 1.5 per cent through productivity items with immediate effect, and a three per cent rise from next April for the 2003 pay award.

Their pay rates already compare very favourably with their colleagues in other train operating companies and in the communities in which they work. With inflation running as low as it is, we believe this is more than fair and will meet the aspirations of our conductors. Unfortunately, the union rejected it without even putting the offer to its members.

Over the past eight months Arriva Trains Northern has put a number of different offers to the union, including the same deal that was given to our drivers -- a three per cent basic pay award and the opportunity to increase their members' pay through productivity. The union refused to have any talks about productivity and rejected the offer.

Our conductors do an excellent job when they are not on strike, and have told us that they want to get back to work. Indeed, conductors are now voting with their feet and, as of Wednesday, August 21, 70 had decided to work on strike days.

Again, I would urge your readers to write to Bob Crow, General Secretary, The Rail and Maritime Transport Union, Unity House, 39 Charlton Street, London, NWI1 1JD, to encourage the union to:

allow its members to consider our latest offer, and

join Arriva Trains Northern at ACAS so that we can work towards resolving this dispute.

Ray Price

Managing Director

Arriva Trains Northern

York