Fresh rail strike set to take place later this month

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at train companies and Network Rail will walk out for 24 hours on July 27.

Union leaders made the announcement after rejecting a new offer from Network Rail which they described as “paltry”.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is not in dispute with the union but it is likely the majority of rail services across Wales will be disrupted due to Network Rail signallers walking out.

Network Rail’s signallers control train movements across the entire country.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The offer from Network Rail represents a real terms pay cut for our members and the paltry sum is conditional on RMT members agreeing to drastic changes in their working lives.”

“We have made progress on compulsory redundancies, but Network Rail are still seeking to make our members poorer when we have won in some cases double what they are offering, with other rail operators.”

“The train operating companies remain stubborn and are refusing to make any new offer which deals with job security and pay.”

“Strike action is the only course open to us to make both the rail industry and Government understand that this dispute will continue for as long as it takes, until we get a negotiated settlement.”

“The public who will be inconvenienced by our strike action need to understand that it is the Government’s shackling of Network Rail and the TOCs that means the rail network will be shut down for 24 hours.”