More rail chaos as 40,000 workers plan new strike

INDUSTRIAL action is set to create yet more chaos across the country next month with another rail strike announced yesterday.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said 40,000 of its members at Network Rail and 15 train operators will walk out on October 8.

And Network Rail fears “significant disruption”.

Rail strikes are already planned on October 1 and 5.

After the new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan met the union, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We welcome this more positive approach from the Government…

“However, as no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue.

“We’ll continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and Government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue as long as it takes.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We have received notification of another strike by the RMT on Saturday October 8, just one week after another walkout it has co-ordinated with train drivers at Aslef.

“This latest strike will again mean very significant disruption for passengers, and we’ll be asking people to only travel if absolutely necessary due to the reduced service.

“Full timetables for all upcoming strike days will be published in due course.”

RMT members at train firms and Network Rail, as well as train drivers in Aslef, will strike on October 1 in the long-running row over pay, jobs and conditions.

Aslef members will also take action on October 5.

The strikes will affect those planning to attend the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, as well as the London Marathon and weekend sport events.

RMT members employed by contractors who clean Avanti West Coast trains are to walk out for 24 hours on Friday in a separate pay row.

LIDL is increasing hourly pay rates for all its store and warehouse staff under a £39.5million plan.

From October 1, the budget supermarket will up entry-level rates from £10.10 to £10.90 an hour outside London and from £11.30 to £11.95 within the M25. More than 23,500 UK employees will get a pay rise, with full-time workers earning around £2,000 extra a year.

The raise represents a boost of between 10 per cent and 14.5 per cent since this time last year.

The night shift premium will also jump from £2 to £3 an hour.