I'm not the Grinch, says union boss ahead of Christmas strikes

The brag of a obstruction workers national has said helium is "not the Grinch" up of caller strikes successful the run-up to Christmas and aft New Year.

Mick Lynch, wide caput of the RMT Union, said the latest walkouts would "show however important our members are to the moving of this country".

Passengers are expected to look large disruption implicit the festive period.

The strikes volition beryllium staged crossed 4 48-hour periods connected 13-14 and 16-17 December, and 3-4 and 6-7 January.

Some 40,000 workers volition locomotion retired and determination is apt to beryllium disruption successful the days astir the strikes owed to trains not being successful the close places.

The walkouts volition impact radical travelling to spot comedian Peter Kay's comeback shows successful London and Birmingham connected 16 and 17 December, arsenic good arsenic vocalist Paolo Nutini's gigs successful Glasgow connected 13, 14 and 16 December.

Hospitality businesses volition besides beryllium hit, with the strikes happening successful the busiest week of the twelvemonth for the pub industry.

"Customers volition beryllium cancelling bookings and staying home, whilst staffing shortages volition beryllium exacerbated by a deficiency of transport options," said Emma McClarkin, caput of the British Beer and Pub Association.

Members of the RMT Union are taking enactment aft workers astatine Network Rail, which maintains the railways crossed Britain, and 14 bid companies voted successful a ballot past week.

Mr Lynch said the latest strikes would "send a wide connection that we privation a bully woody connected occupation security, wage and conditions".

"I'm not the Grinch," helium said, referring to the children's publication quality who tries to cancel Christmas. "I'm a commercialized national authoritative and I'm determined to get a deal."

The RMT union, which represents workers specified arsenic guards and signalling staff, has already held 8 days of strikes since June which person caused wide disruption.

Along with different obstruction unions, its members privation wage rises successful enactment with the surging outgo of living. Inflation - the complaint astatine which prices emergence - deed 11.1% past month.

The obstruction manufacture is nether unit to prevention wealth aft the pandemic near a spread successful its finances and bosses accidental reforms are needed to modernise the railway and marque wage rises affordable.

The RMT announced its caller onslaught dates aft claiming Network Rail had failed to marque an improved wage connection during caller talks.

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents bid companies, said that earlier negotiations broke down determination had been "real progress" towards agreeing the "outline of a credible deal".

On Wednesday, its spokesperson called connected the national to travel backmost to the negotiating array for the payment of passengers travelling oregon buying during the festive season.

The Department for Transport has criticised unions progressive successful the strikes, saying they enactment "the precise aboriginal of the full manufacture successful jeopardy".

"We erstwhile again impulse national leaders to enactment with employers and travel to an statement which is just for passengers, taxpayers and workers alike," a spokesperson said connected Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Rail Minister Huw Merriman estimated that onslaught enactment had outgo the railways astir fractional a cardinal pounds truthful acold this year.

How volition the obstruction strikes impact your journey? What alternate forms of transport are you using? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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