FRESH rail strikes are have been announced with workers also set to walk out on Christmas Eve.
The RMT union has announced industrial action from 6pm on Christmas Eve to 6am to 27 December as well as other dates this month.
GettyFresh strike action has been announced[/caption]
The union said it plans to go on strike after talks with train operators and Network Rail ended without a resolution.
Walkouts have already been announced for 13-14, 16-17 as RMT general secretary Mick Lynch condemned the “poor” pay offer from Network Rail.
“I am sure the travelling public will be really disappointed and irritated and angry,” he admitted.
But he added said the current offer is “extremely detrimental” to his members.
From December 18 till January 2, RMT confirmed that there will also be an overtime ban which will see the union take industrial action over four weeks.
The series of rail strikes in the UK over the past months have been a result of disputes over pay, the prospect of compulsory redundancies and working conditions.
Strikes involve staff at Network Rail, which covers England, Scotland and Wales – resulting in widespread action affecting services across the network.
It comes as union members at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are set to walk out for two weeks over the festive period.
The industrial action will start on December 19 and finish on December 30.
Around 200 back office benefits staff are expected to take part along with 30 at three offices in Liverpool and one in Doncaster.
The strike is not expected to affect anyone’s benefits payments but the union expect to disrupt benefit “conditionality” interviews which would usually lead to sanctions.