NORTHERN Rail has urged people not to travel next week as talks failed to talks failed to resolve a bitter row over pay, jobs and conditions.
The whole of the rail network is affected by strikes, planned for next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
But the timing of the strike action has a knock-on effect on the days in-between with disruption of operations, the displacement of their trains across the network and shift patterns.
Northern Rail has warned people not to travel at all on its network next week for this reason.
The train operator is currently working with Network Rail to agree what services it can run with the industry prioritising essential routes on mainlines and routes in to major cities.
It is expected to run a very limited timetable and has suggested customers should try to find alternative transport if their journey is essential.
Northern Rail operates services on the Calder Valley line into Bradford Interchange, the Wharfedale line between Bradford Forster Square and Ilkley, and the Airedale line, from Bradford Forster Square out to Skipton via Shipley, Bingley and Keighley.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said it had held discussions in the past few weeks at senior levels with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: “Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.”
He confirmed that strikes at Network Rail and 13 train operators will go ahead on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, and on London Underground on Tuesday.
The action by tens of thousands of rail workers will cripple services for most of the week.
Mr Lynch said: “It has to be restated that the source of these disputes is the decision by the Tory Government to cut £4 billion of funding from our transport systems – £2 billion from national rail and £2 billion from Transport for London.
“As a result of this transport austerity imposed by the Government, the employing companies have taken decisions to savage the Railway Pension Scheme and the Transport for London scheme, cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and poorer in retirement, while paying increased contributions.”
Mr Lynch said thousands of jobs were being cut across the rail networks and workers were facing below-inflation pay rises.
He added: “In the face of this massive attack on our people the RMT cannot be passive.
“So today, having heard the reports on the discussions that have been taking place we are confirming that the strike action scheduled to take place on 21st, 23rd and 25th June will go ahead.
“We want a transport system that operates for the benefit of the people, for the needs of society and our environment – not for private profit.
“We call on the entire labour movement and the working people to rally to the support of the RMT and our members in this struggle.”
A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “No one wins in the event of a strike.
“The action next week will affect the millions of people who use the train each day, including key workers, students with exams, those who cannot work from home, holidaymakers and people attending important business and leisure events.
“Working with Network Rail, our plan is to keep as many services running as possible, but significant disruption will be inevitable and some parts of the network will not have a service, so passengers should plan their journeys carefully and check their train times.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Strikes should always be the last resort, not the first, so it is hugely disappointing and premature that the RMT is going ahead with industrial action.
“The Government committed £16 billion – to keep our railways running throughout the pandemic while ensuring not a single worker lost their job.
“The railway is still on life support, with passenger numbers 25 per cent down and anything that drives away even more of them risks killing services and jobs.
“Train travel for millions more people is now a choice, not a necessity. Strikes stop our customers choosing rail, and they might never return.
“We urge the RMT to reconsider so we can find a solution that delivers for workers, passengers and taxpayers alike.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Yet again the RMT union are dismissing talks before we’ve even finished, with more planned for tomorrow (Sunday).
“We’re serious about trying to find a solution and work out a compromise that gives our people a decent pay rise, but it has to be affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.
“Union demands have so far been unobtainable, and the union seems completely focussed on ‘take’, with very little ‘give’.
“It makes negotiating extremely challenging, but we will continue to try and find a way through to try and avert this needless and damaging strike.”
Northern usually runs nearly 2,000 services a day to 540 stations across the North of England.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said: “Our ability to get customers where they want to be will be significantly impacted and our advice, regrettably, is simply not to travel during the week of strike action.
“We apologise in advance for the disruption and inconvenience that the RMT’s industrial action may cause. We continue to be keen to speak to the RMT to find a resolution and avoid any strikes.”
Details of the services able to run will be released as soon as possible to customers.
For the latest advice and information, people are advised to visit: northernrailway.co.uk/travel/strikes
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