by Parts of the UK are facing increased travel problems with rail, bus and motorway workers leaving their jobs today amid ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.
Rail, shipping and transport union members are set to go on another 48-hour strike, after talks failed to make headway on Thursday.
The RMT said “further discussions” had been agreed but “in the meantime, all industrial action remains in place”.
The union is involved in two disputes: one with Network Rail, where it represents around 20,000 signalmen and maintenance workers, and the other with Rail Delivery Group, where it represents around 20,000 workers from 14 railway companies.
Members of both groups strike today and tomorrow, and then on 3-4 January and 6-7 January, with RMT members of Network Rail also striking from 6.30pm on Christmas Eve until 6.00am on the 27th December.
Members of Network Rail’s Transport Salaried Staff’ Association (TSSA) voted on Thursday to accept a payout offer, but Avanti West Coast members will continue with their strike action today.
Passengers throughout the rail network have been warned not to travel.
Read more:
Strikes every day before Christmas: which sectors are affected and why
Nurses call biggest strike a ‘game changer’ as number 10 says ‘no plan’ to increase pay offer
“We are exhausted and deflated” – stories of nurses from pickets across the country
Meanwhile, bus drivers employed by Abellio in south and west London go on strike today and tomorrow as part of their pay dispute.
Their union – Unite – said Abellio had failed to enter into “meaningful pay talks” on pay increases and that its members were among the lowest paid in London.
Their Metroline colleagues in north and west London were due to go on strike today but accepted an offer earlier this month – an 11% pay rise with a 10% raise on back pay.
Commercial and public services union members working on National Highways are set to exit the North West, North East and Yorkshire today, with other parts of the country to be affected in the coming weeks.
The PCS said workers plan, design, build, operate and maintain the country’s roads and that the strikes risk bringing the grid to a “standstill”.
Their dispute is over pay, pensions, job security and terms of dismissal.
National Highways said about 125 of its 1,500 frontline operations staff would take part in the strikes, between 10 and 25 people per region.
It said: “We are working to ensure that any industrial action does not affect the experience of road users and we are confident that the impact of the strikes will be managed.”
Rail, bus and highway workers are among hundreds of thousands of workers going on strike this winter, as inflation and other cost-of-living pressures leave pay behind.
Also on strike today are more than 900 staff working at the Rural Payments Agency, DVSA staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland and Eurostar security guards.
However, a strike planned for today by ground operators employed by Menzies at Heathrow Airport has been called off.
