Breaking News - Rail strikes: Biggest strike in 30 years to go ahead as talks fail | United Kingdom
Passengers in England, Scotland and Wales face severe disruption after last-ditch talks failed to stop the biggest rail strikes in 30 years.
Thousands of staff at Network Rail and 13 rail operators are due to walk out on Tuesday, affecting most major lines.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT rail union, blamed the "dead hand" of government, saying ministers did not allow employers to negotiate freely.
The transport secretary said "outdated unions" were "opposing progress".
Grant Shapps said about 20% of services were expected to run during the strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, focusing on key workers, main population centres and critical freight routes.
Services are expected to be affected from Monday evening, with disruption continuing on non-strike days this week.
The RMT, which represents rail workers ranging from catering staff to signallers, is calling for a pay rise of at least 7%.
The union said employers have only offered 2%, with the possibility of 1% more, on the condition that workers accept proposed job cuts and changes to working practices.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said "no strike is inevitable until the moment it begins", but urged passengers to travel by train only if necessary. A special train timetable for 20 to 26 June was published on Friday.
Talks were held on Monday afternoon to avert the strikes but the sides remained deadlocked, Mr Lynch said, accusing the government of interfering to prevent a deal.
"What we've come to understand is the dead hand of this Tory government is all over this dispute and the fingerprints of Grant Shapps and the DNA of [chancellor] Rishi Sunak are all over the problems on the railway," he said.
"Until they allow these employers to negotiate freely I can't see we're going to get a resolution."
He said staff were faced with thousands of job cuts, reduced pensions, worse terms and conditions, and a cut in real-terms pay as inflation soars.
Mr Lynch said there was also a plan to close every ticket office in Britain. The Department for Transport said no final decision had been made, but said it was "absurd" to suggest it wanted to close every booking office.
The transport secretary has denied the government intervened in the dispute, saying "no minsters have ever been involved directly in these strike negotiations" and only the employers and union could reach an agreement.
In the House of Commons, Mr Shapps said the government could no longer tolerate rail unions using their right to strike "without any regard for how the rights of others are disrupted".
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He said minimum service legislation, which requires train companies to maintain a base level of service even during strikes, was part of the solution.
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