The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has announced further strike action over the festive period, including on Christmas Eve.
It comes after Network Rail made its latest offer, which the union is urging its members to reject.
The new strike dates are likely to hamper people’s Christmas travel plans, and come in addition to four planned days of action next week, and another four in January.
Strikes have affected the rail network since the summer, with unions locked in long-running disputes with train companies over pay and working conditions.
Trade unions have been calling for better pay for their members amid the cost of living crisis, with inflation now at a 40-year high of 11.1 per cent.
Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming strikes.
When are the train strikes?
Staff at Network Rail represented by the RMT are set to walk out on Saturday 24 December at 6pm. They will remain on strike through Tuesday 27 December.
This strike involves workers who maintain railways, such as signallers and maintenance workers.
The RMT also represents staff at 14 rail companies, who are involved in a separate dispute.
The union has called action that will see more than 40,000 rail workers walk out on the following dates in December:
- Tuesday 13 December
- Wednesday 14 December
- Friday 16 December
- Saturday 17 December
There will be further action on the following dates in January 2023:
- Tuesday 3 January
- Wednesday 4 January
- Friday 6 January
- Saturday 7 January
Additionally, there will be an overtime ban across the railways from 18 December until 2 January, which will affect the number of services that can run.
There are also two regional strikes planned in December.
Staff at Avanti West Coast will strike on Sunday 11 and Monday 12 December.
Workers at East Midlands Railway will walk out on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 December.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), meanwhile, has announced it is calling off strikes planned for December and is putting an offer to its members.
Union members had been due to strike on 17 December and take other forms of industrial action from 13 December.
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Which services will be affected?
The strikes will affect Network Rail and 14 major operators. Significant disruption can be expected across the country, with 80 per cent of services likely to be cancelled on strike days.
There will also be a knock-on effect on the days following strike action.
National Rail said: “The rail industry is working hard to minimise the effect that this will have on services but it is inevitable that services will be cancelled or severely disrupted. It is likely that there will be a very limited service on these days with no trains at all on some routes.”
National Rail will update its journey planner closer to the time, advising customers of how services will be affected.
Why are rail workers striking?
The RMT recommended its members should reject the latest offer from Network Rail, claiming train operating companies still awaited a mandate from the Government.
Network Rail said the latest offer was its “best and final”. It consists of a 5 per cent pay rise this year and 4 per cent next year, along with a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies for workers who are not managers and controllers until 31 January, 2025, and a 75 per cent discount on leisure travel for staff and their family members.
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said: “This response from the RMT to a significantly enhanced offer exposes their true priority – using the British public and Network Rail workers as pawns in a fight with the Government.
“What use is a referendum that means that strike disruption is inevitable? At best it’s the tactic the RMT played in October by calling the strikes off at the last minute and causing immense disruption to passengers and vital freight routes.
“They are playing fast and loose with people’s Christmas plans and the new strike dates announced deliberately target vital engineering work designed to improve the railway.
“A significantly improved offer is now on the table that gives Network Rail workers job security, a decent pay rise and some other substantial benefits for employees and their families.”
RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “We have rejected this offer as it does not meet any of our criteria for securing a settlement on long-term job security, a decent pay rise and protecting working conditions.”