Trade union boss Mick Lynch has told GB News a deal could be within reach on rail workers' pay.
The leader of the RMT said talks with will resume with the Government on Monday after "sensible changes" were offered.
Mick Lynch suggested changes to the pay offer had been offered
GB NEWS
His hint of a breakthrough comes as new polling indicates support for rail workers taking industrial action has plummeted.
Speaking this morning, he told GB News: “They contacted us late on Monday night to say, ‘let's get a meeting in’.
"And that's been confirmed for early next week. We always go to meetings in a positive frame of mind.
"We have a spirit of goodwill and are trying to develop ideas, but they need to change the equation a bit.
“We've heard what they've got to say, they've heard what we've got to say.
"We think there are some sensible changes to what's been proposed, and that it could develop into an agreement.
"And that's what we were always working for."
Explaining what the RMT wants Mr Lynch continued: "We don't want the Earth. We want a sensible agreement that everyone can support."
Just one in five trains were running yesterday as rail workers walked out. Strike action is continuing for the rest of the working week.
The scene at London Paddington train station, during the train strike
Jonathan Brady
A YouGov survey published last night indicated just 43pc of Britons support the strikes by rail workers, compared to 49pc who are opposed.
However, despite Lynch's suggestion a pay deal could be soon reached, the RMT leader said his union may be forced to ballot on further strike action if talks fail.
"I don't know if they'll make offers or whether they'll just tell the managers to go off and make some offers or, or develop the talks," he added.
"We don't want to have to re-ballot. We don't want to take any further industrial action but if they don't change the formulations that they've currently got, that's what we may be forced to do.
"So the quicker we can get a solution to this and develop the ideas and some documents that everyone can sign up to the better.
"The better it will be for the railway industry, for our members, for the passengers, and the country. "So that's what we're working towards."
