The latest talks to stop the action failed last week, a month after three days of industrial action in June. More than 40,000 Network Rail workers, 14 train companies and members of the Rail, Shipping and Transport (RMT) union are taking part in the strikes. Transports for London services will be affected by the disruption as it uses sections of the line under Network Rail’s jurisdiction. There will also be a stand by members of the Private Transport Salaried Association (TSSA), who work for Avanti West Coast. “Network Rail has not improved on its previous pay offer and the train companies have not offered us anything new,” RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said. “The Government must stop its involvement in this dispute so that the rail employers can reach an agreement by negotiating with us.” Today’s strike came after union leaders rejected an “insignificant” offer of a 4% pay rise for the rest of 2022 from Network Rail and a possible 4% next year if workers accept changes to working conditions. The strike clashes with the summer school holidays and Network Rail and the Government say it could affect the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which start on Thursday. After the strike was announced, Network Rail accused the union of “walking away” from talks and said the action could have been avoided. “It is now clear that their political campaigning takes precedence over representing the interests of their members,” said Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator. The Conservative government is also pushing ahead with controversial plans to allow companies to replace striking workers with agencies. The latest rail strikes come as wider industrial action across the public sector is considered as workers demand pay rises amid rising living costs. Last week, thousands of Royal Mail workers voted to strike in August. Lawyers in England and Wales staged a five-day strike earlier this month and around 40,000 RMT members, including Network Rail signalmen and train crew, will strike for two more days on August 18 and 20. Conservative leadership hopeful Liz Truss has promised a further crackdown on trade unions, which has been criticized as the “biggest assault on civil rights” since the 19th century. She has said she would introduce a law on minimum service levels in critical national infrastructure in her first 30 days as prime minister, which would cut back on teachers, postal workers and the energy sector. “Trash is proposing to make effective trade unionism illegal in Britain and rob workers of a basic democratic right,” Lynch said. “If these proposals become law, there will be the biggest resistance to support the entire trade union movement, rivaling the General Strike of 1926, the Suffragettes and Chartism.”
