RMT union boss blames the Government for rail strikes

Описание: Rail strikes are expected to cause the cancellation of about 80% of train services across Britain today.

From Tuesday, train passengers will face chaos with only a fifth of services running and half of lines closed, due to the biggest strike by rail workers for a generation.

According to reports in the Guardian and BBC, only around 20% of rail services will be running today.

Train services are expected to be impacted on the days without planned strike action as well due to knock-on effects – with about 60% of normal services running.

Last-ditch talks failed to resolve the bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, with all sides blaming each other for the lack of progress.

Much of Britain will have no passenger trains for the entire day on Tuesday, including most of Scotland and Wales, the whole of Cornwall and Dorset, and places such as Chester, Hull, Lincoln and Worcester.

Services will primarily be restricted to main lines, but even those will only be open between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Those operators not involved in the industrial action will still suffer from disruption due to Network Rail signallers going on strike.

London Underground workers will also walk out on Tuesday.

Unions reacted with fury to reports Labour has banned its frontbenchers from picket lines, in a memo leaked to Politics Home.

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