Government can't change their stance on pay, says Rishi Sunak

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) began two 48-hour strikes at Network Rail - and 14 train companies - from Tuesday until Friday, wiping out most services on Britain’s railways.

And as the nation gears up towards Christmas, nurses, postal workers, bus drivers, charity workers and ambulance staff are set to walk out over pay and conditions.

The prime minister said in a message to his cabinet: “While the government will do all we can to minimise disruption, the only way we can stop it completely is by unions going back around the table and calling off these strikes.”

He said that the winter would be a "challenging period to get through" but that it was “for unions to decide whether they want to keep inflicting this sort of damage on the public”.

Hopes of a breakthrough in the dispute were dashed after Network Rail workers rejected a pay offer on Monday - which included a 5% and 4% pay rise over two years - with union bosses’ recommendation.

Network Rail offered its staff other benefits including discounted rail travel for family and friends but the deal was contingent on big changes to its maintenance teams, which would involve nearly 2,000 job losses.

The company insisted this could be achieved by voluntary means and there would be a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies until the end of January 2025.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) voted against the offer. Turnout was 83%.

The RMT’s Mick Lynch dismissed the offer as "substandard", saying there is "no deal in sight".

RMT workers at Network Rail will also strike from 6pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on 27 December and on 3, 4, 6 and 7 January.

Read more: Public sector pay rises ’unaffordable’, says transport secretary

The RMT has also issued an overtime ban for its members across the railway network from 18 December to 2 January.

Lynch said yesterday: “We feel that we’ve been compelled to take this action due to the intransigence of the government ... we’ve been faced with an extremely detrimental offer and our members simply aren’t in a position to accept the changes the companies have put on the table.”