Rail strike goes ahead on July 27 after pay talks with thousands of workers break down

A strike by more than 40,000 workers at Network Rail will go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) from 14 different train companies will walk out on Wednesday July 27, crippling rail services across the country.

Passengers are likely to face “significant disruption” on some services, with the last trains between Edinburgh and London likely to leave in the early afternoon.

Scottish routes are also likely to be faced with widespread disruption.

It comes just days after Scotland’s national rail operator reinstated its pre-summer timetable after the drivers’ union, Aslef, agreed a pay increase deal with ScotRail.

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has also announced a strike by its members at Avanti West Coast on the same day.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Strike action will take place next Wednesday as planned and our members are more determined than ever to secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions.

“Network Rail have not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train companies have not offered us anything new.

“In fact Network Rail have upped the ante, threatening to impose compulsory redundancies and unsafe 50% cuts to maintenance work if we did not withdraw our planned strike action.

“The train operating companies have put driver-only operations on the table along with ransacking our members’ terms and conditions.

“RMT will continue to negotiate in good faith but we will not be bullied or cajoled by anyone.

“The Government need to stop their interference in this dispute so the rail employers can come to a negotiated settlement with us.”