Train strikes: Further misery for Brits as two MORE days of walkouts announced by union
RAIL passengers are set for more days of commuter hell as two further days of strikes have been penned in.
Travel chaos is looming as workers from more than a dozen operators are due to walk out amid a furious row over jobs, pay and working conditions.
Last month millions were told to stay at home as rail worker walkouts caused a week of commuter mayhem - with a further seven days of strikes due in the coming weeks.
RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators will strike on August 18 and 20, the union announced tonight.
The union previously announced a strike for July 27, the day before the Commonwealth Games open in Birmingham.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has warned the dispute between unions, the rail industry and the Government "will not simply vanish".
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He added: "They need to get serious about providing an offer on pay which helps deal with the cost-of-living crisis, job security for our members and provides good conditions at work.
"Recent proposals from Network Rail fell well short on pay and on safety around maintenance work.
"And the train operating companies have not even made us a pay offer in recent negotiations.
"Now Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary) has abandoned his forlorn hopes for the job of prime minister, he can now get back to his day job and help sort this mess out.
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"We remain open for talks, but we will continue our campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement."
Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said: "By announcing even more strike dates, the RMT has dropped any pretence that this is about reaching a deal.
"It's clear the best interests of passengers and our staff are taking second place to the union's bosses' political campaign."
It comes after union Aslef announced today train drivers at eight rail companies will strike on July 30 in a dispute over pay.
Drivers at Chiltern Railways, GWR, LNER, London Overground, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine, and West Midlands will all walk out.
Drivers on Greater Anglia will also strike on July 23, and those on Hull Trains will strike on July 16 and 23.
Strike dates
Greater Anglia - July 23
Hull Trains - July 16 and 23
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - July 27
Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains - July 30
RMT - August 18 and 20
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: "We don't want to go on strike - strikes are the result of a failure of negotiation - and this union, since I was elected general secretary in 2011, has only ever been on strike, until this year, for a handful of days.
"We don't want to inconvenience passengers, not least because our friends and families use public transport too, and we believe in building trust in the railways in Britain, and we don't want to lose money by going on strike.
"But we've been forced into this position by the train companies, driven by the Tory Government.
"The drivers at the companies where we are striking have had a real-terms pay cut over the last three years, since April 2019.
"These companies are offering us nothing, saying their hands have been tied by the Government.
"That means, in real terms, with inflation running ahead at 9%, 10%, and even 11% this year, according to which index you use, that they are being told to take a real-terms pay cut, and that is not acceptable.
"Strike action is, now, the only option available but we are always open to talks if the train companies, or the Government, want to talk to us and make a fair and sensible offer."
The RMT held three strikes last month which crippled services across the country.
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Tens of thousands of workers walked out in the biggest rail strike in 30 years.
Some regions were completely cut off as services were axed and commuters were left stranded.