RAIL union TSSA will hold a country-wide 24-hour strike next month in an escalation of the ongoing national rail dispute over pay, job security and conditions.

Staff at nine train operating companies (TOCs) and Network Rail will walk out from midday on Monday, September 26, until midday Tuesday, September 27.

The union remains in talks with Network Rail about a settlement.

TSSA union leader Manuel Cortes called for the government to allow TOCs to return to the negotiating table with a revised deal which improves on the two per cent offer rejected earlier in the summer.

The strike action coincides with the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool where there will be a picket line.

Mr Cortes said: “The dead hand of Grant Shapps is sadly stopping train operating companies from making a revised, meaningful offer.

"I welcome the fact negotiations are ongoing with Network Rail and the gap towards a resolution is narrowing. Time will tell whether a deal can be done to avert our next strike."

Along with Network Rail, the nine TOCs at the centre of the strike are TransPennine Express, West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, LNER and Southeastern.

Northern, which operates services on the Airedale, Wharfedale and Calder Valley lines, will take rolling industrial action short of a strike.

 

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