More than 40,000 workers from Network Rail and 15 train operating companies will strike on Saturday, October 8 in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) announced.
Rail strikes are already planned on Saturday, October 1 and Wednesday, October 5, threatening fresh travel chaos for passengers.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said it was encouraging that the new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan had met the union in the dispute about pay, job cuts and changes to terms and conditions.
“We welcome this more positive approach from the government to engage with us as a first step to finding a suitable settlement.
“However, as no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue this strike action.
“We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes,” he said.
A string of major rail strikes were suspended following the death of the Queen.
Industrial disputes in the rail industry and other sectors including post and telecoms have led to a summer of strikes, which are set to resume in the coming weeks.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has estimated that the average salary for rail workers is £43,747, based on five different job categories.
If drivers were excluded from the average, its estimate is £36,800.
If your train is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled due to the rail strikes, you are entitled to a full refund, according to National Rail.
The refunds will be available via the original retailer and season ticket holders can claim compensation if they choose not to travel on strike days.
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A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We have received notification of another strike by the RMT on Saturday October 8, just one week after another walkout it has co-ordinated with train drivers at Aslef.
“This latest strike will again mean very significant disruption for passengers, and we’ll be asking people to only travel if absolutely necessary due to the reduced service that will be in place.
“Full timetables for all upcoming strike days will be published in due course.”
The companies involved in the action are
Chiltern Railways,
Cross Country Trains,
Greater Anglia,
LNER,
East Midlands Railway,
c2c,
Great Western Railway,
Hull Trains
Northern Trains,
South Eastern
South Western Railway
Transpennine Express,
Avanti West Coast,
West Midlands Trains
GTR (including Gatwick Express)
