Rail employees to strike

Updated 12.25 Fri Aug 08 2008

Thousands of rail maintenance staff are to strike next Friday in protest over their pay and work conditions.

Almost 12,000 Network Rail employees will strike for four days in their long-running row with their employer.

"RMT members have shown the company how they feel by delivering two weekends of rock-solid strike action which is in stark contrast to the behaviour of Network Rail" - Bob Crow

The Rail Maritime & Transport union has called the strike, after two previous stoppages failed to come to a resolution. This is the first time they have walked off the job on weekdays.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow accused Network Rail of "cold-shouldering" discussions to resolve the dispute.

"RMT members have shown the company how they feel by delivering two weekends of rock-solid strike action which is in stark contrast to the behaviour of Network Rail," he said.

Mr Crow claimed progress had been made during recent negotiations but was "vetoed" at director level.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "We are making progress in bringing this issue to a conclusion and are bitterly disappointed to see the RMT taking further unnecessary strike action in the middle of negotiations.

"Previous strikes have had no impact on services and we are re-assessing our contingency plans so that they are robust enough to cope with this proposed longer strike."