Members of the RMT union working in 14 train operating companies will stage strike action on these three dates in July:

• Thursday 20 July
• Saturday 22 July
• Saturday 29 July

The 14 train operating companies include: Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains and GTR (including Gatwick Express).

It means passengers are likely to face big disruption to journeys and are urged to check service and times before travelling as the 20,000 workers take to the picket line.

Further, it is likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike, so passengers should also check the last train times on the evenings before strike days and the mornings following strikes.

The RMT said that despite their repeated offers to enter further negotiations, “neither the rail operators nor the Government have asked us to any meetings”.

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.”

The RMT members have now voted three times to take strike action over the last 12 months, the last of which resulted from a “sub-standard offer from the rail operators”.

Lynch added: “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 Rail Delivery Group spokesperson, said: “More strikes are totally unnecessary. After a year of industrial action all the RMT has achieved is losing their members more money than they would have received in the pay offers they refused to put out to a vote, despite having agreed the terms with the negotiators.

“We have now made three offers that the RMT executive have blocked without a convincing explanation. We remain open to talks and we have said repeatedly that we want to give our people a pay rise, but until the union leadership and executive is united in what it wants and engages in good faith with the 30% shortfall in revenue the industry is continuing to grapple with post-covid, it is difficult to move forward. Sadly our staff, our customers and the communities across the country which rely on a thriving railway are the ones that are suffering as a result.”

Separate strike action by ASLEF, the train drivers’ union has been suspended. Workers were expected to walk out on Sunday 2 July on Avanti West Coast.

Related:  Your right to a refund if travel is affected by train strikes