New rail strike dates revealed by RMT as The Open and Ashes amongst occasions hit

A rail union has revealed three contemporary strike dates in July as a part of a seamless combat for higher pay.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) mentioned its 20,000 members working throughout 14 prepare working firms would stroll out on 20, 22 and 29 July.

The Open Championship is going down at Royal Liverpool from 16-23 July, whereas followers attending the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford and the fifth Test at The Oval, might additionally face disruption.

The union, which settled a similar dispute with Network Rail three months in the past, mentioned the businesses had did not make a brand new pay provide after the final was rejected as being too low in the course of the present cost of living crisis.

Just hours after the Bank of England mentioned increased pay awards had been fuelling inflation, the RMT’s management claimed the federal government was blocking a good deal.

RMT normal secretary Mick Lynch mentioned: “This newest part of motion will present the nation simply how essential railway employees are to the working of the rail trade.

“My staff of negotiators and I can be found 24/7 for talks with the prepare working firms and authorities ministers.

“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.

“The authorities continues to shackle the businesses and won’t enable them to place ahead a bundle that may settle this dispute.

“Our members have now voted 3 times to take strike action over the last 12 months – the most of recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators.

“They voted by 9-1 to resume their strike mandate and RMT will proceed its industrial marketing campaign till we attain a negotiated settlement on pay, working circumstances and job safety.”

The RMT says its marketing campaign of rail strikes – which began in June 2022 – had managed to forestall bosses from pushing by way of redundancies and controversial reforms similar to mass ticket workplace closures.

The newest part of rail trade strikes, additionally involving the drivers’ union Aslef, focused folks going to the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool and, latterly, the FA Cup Final at Wembley.