The Open and two Ashes tests to be impacted by fresh round of RMT train strikes
22 June 2023, 17:46
Rail unions have revealed three fresh strike dates in July as part of a continuing fight for better pay.
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The RMT said its 20,000 members working across 14 train operating companies would walk out on 20, 22 and 29 July.
The Open Championship is taking place at Royal Liverpool from 16-23 July, while fans attending the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford and the fifth Test at The Oval, could also face disruption.
Union bosses accused train operators of failing to make a new pay offer to resolve the long-running dispute.
The RMT said that despite repeated statements that it was willing to enter further negotiations, neither the rail operators nor the Government have asked it to any meetings.
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RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "This latest phase of action will show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.
"My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and govt.
"Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.
"The Government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute. 'Our members have now voted three times to take strike action over the last 12 months - the most recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators.
"They voted by 9-1 to renew their strike mandate and RMT will continue its industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement on pay, working conditions and job security."
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One of the disputes, involving Network Rail, has been settled but negotiations with train operators have apparently stalled.
It has been one year since the strikes were first announced.
They are the first set of national rail strikes since the 1980s.
The Open Championship is taking place at Royal Liverpool from July 16-23, while the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford and the fifth Test at The Oval could also be disrupted.
In the most recent wave of RMT strikes, Eurovision and the FA Cup final were targeted.
