SOME 20,000 railway workers will strike for three days next month as part of a long-running national dispute over pay, working conditions and job security, RMT announced today.

The transport union said that its members at 14 train operating companies will down tools on July 20, 22 and 29. 

The walkouts, which are the latest to hit the railways since the dispute began a year ago, come as bosses and Tory ministers continue to ignore the union’s offer to enter further negotiations, it said. 

RMT members rejected employer body the Rail Delivery Group’s latest wage offer of 5 per cent offer in April, warning it was below inflation and conditional on “reforms” which could endanger passenger safety. 

The government has repeatedly claimed to be an independent arbiter in the dispute, but the union has noted that the Department for Transport mandates the remit of employers as per their contracts. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This latest phase of action will show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.

“My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers.

“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.

“The government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute.”

Mr Lynch warned the fact that the workforce has overwhelmingly voted for strikes three times shows members will “continue their industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement.”