20,000 railway workers who are members of the RMT union are to take further strike action on three days next month after train operators failed to make a new pay offer.

The strike action will be held on 20th, 22nd and 29th July, and will involve RMT members working for 14 train operating companies.

The union has repeatedly stated that it is willing to enter further negotiations, but the rail operators nor the government have invited the union to any meetings.

The government holds the mandate for the rail operators that the union is in dispute, with and contractually sets the parameters for negotiations between those companies and the rail unions.

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.

“Our members have now voted 3 times to take strike action over the last 12 months – the most of recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators.

“They voted by 9-1 to renew their strike mandate and RMT will continue its industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement on pay, working conditions and job security.”

A DfT spokesperson said: “The RMT leadership’s decision to call strikes targeting two iconic international sporting events, as children and families begin their summer holidays, will disrupt people’s plans across the country.

“After a year of industrial action, passengers and rail workers alike are growing tired of union bosses playing politics with their lives. It’s high time the union leaders realised that strikes no longer have the impact they once did and are simply driving people away from the railway.

“This Government has played its part by facilitating fair and reasonable pay offers that would see generous increases for rail workers. Union leaders should do the right thing and give their members a chance to vote on these pay offers.”