Commuter chaos as two 48-hour strikes set for this week after RMT reject latest pay offer – with Christmas also hit | The Sun

CHRISTMAS has been ruined for thousands of Brits as rail workers today confirmed they WILL strike throughout the festive season.

RMT union members will walk out of stations across the country tomorrow and Wednesday, before doing so again on Friday and Saturday.

And in a major blow to those wanting to unite with loved ones at Christmas, industrial action will also happen from 6pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on December 27.

The strikes are happening because of a massive dispute between the RMT and employer Network Rail, covering pay and working conditions.

In its most recent bid to end the stalemate, Network Rail offered workers a 5 per cent hike this year followed by a 4 per cent rise in 2023.

Most read in News

TOO COLD FOR CLASS

School closures as UK hit with snow – find out if your kids are affected

LAKE TRAGEDY

3 boys, aged 8, 10 & 11 dead after ‘falling in icy lake' with another critical

COP OUT

Inside lavish life of cop who claimed she didn’t know her husband was a drug dealer

XMAS STABBING

Winter Wonderland horror as man stabbed & cops rush to scene

But in a ballot today 63.6 per cent of union members rejected the offer on a turnout of 83 per cent.

RMT Chief Mick Lynch blasted: "The government is refusing to lift a finger to prevent these strikes and it is clear they want to make effective strike action illegal in Britain.

"We will resist that and our members, along with the entire trade union movement will continue their campaign for a square deal for workers, decent pay increases and good working conditions."

Today's ballot comes as 100,000 nurses are set to walk out this Thursday and the following Tuesday.

READ MORE POLITICS

Tories will be voted out if we don’t solve Channel crisis, senior MP warns

UK has ‘problem’ with Islamist extremists forcing views on kids, Gove warns

Royal College of Nursing union members are striking over pay after asking for an inflation-busting hike of 19 per cent.

In the latest round of negotiations, the government offered a backdated 5 per cent rise this year and 4 per cent from January.

But the union rejected the offer.

Most read in The Sun

LAKE TRAGEDY

3 boys, aged 8, 10 & 11 dead after ‘falling in icy lake' with another critical

CHILLY TIMES

Full list of postcodes due £25 cold weather payments direct to bank accounts

'PURE PANIC'

Locals ‘heard kids screaming’ as they ‘fell through ice’ with 2 feared dead

BIG FREEZE

Thousands asked to turn off electricity TONIGHT after -15C & 'biblical' snow

Health Secretary Steve Barclay is due to meet RCN Chief Pat Cullen today in a last ditch effort to halt the strike.

Meanwhile, posties, ambulance workers and border force staff are all staging rolling industrial action too – wrecking Christmas parties and travel plans and clobbering businesses.

Around 750 British troops are on standby to drive ambulances if emergency workers walk out as planned.

Troops will also help man border check stations at airports across Britain.

Source: Read Full Article