Fresh rail strike misery for Brits as three more dates announced

KILLJOY unions were blasted last night after launching a Guy Fawkes strike and targeting footie fans looking forward to World Cup beers.

RMT boss Mick Lynch announced more train strikes on Network Rail on November 3, 5 and 7.

And pubs risk running out of beer as 1,000 delivery drivers stage walkouts which will run into the same weekend as the rail disruption.

The blows come as a winter of discontent looms with teachers, health workers, midwives and coffin makers all threatening strikes over pay and conditions.

Last night Tory Party chairman Jake Berry blasted the strikers, saying: “Once again, Labour’s friends in the militant unions are holding Britain to ransom, stopping hardworking people getting to work.

“Just like last time, we will see Labour MPs queuing up to be on the picket lines, beholden to their union paymasters who are hell bent on bringing Britain to its knees.”

Football will be disrupted as 40,000 RMT members walk out over pay and conditions.

Mr Lynch accused Network Rail of “dishonesty” in negotiations. Fulham and Leicester supporters travelling to away games at Man City and Everton face hours of delay.

Meanwhile, the Unite union gloated that walkouts by GXO drivers between October 31 and November 4 will stop boozers stocking up for the World Cup, which starts on November 20.

Forty per cent of UK beer deliveries will be hit — including supplies of Stella Artois, Boddingtons, Budweiser, Becks and Export Pale Ale.
GXO drivers have rejected a five per cent pay rise.

Three Lions fan Rocky Burton said yesterday: “Killjoys stopping us having a pint while watching the lads striving to ‘bring it home’ will have a lot to answer for.”

Pubs are reeling after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt tore up plans to freeze alcohol duty.

Kate Nicholls, boss of UK Hospitality, said struggling bars and restaurants now face a “lockdown in all but name from further rail strikes”.

Widespread disruption is likely as two million people will either strike or be balloted in the coming months.

They include coffin makers at a factory in Glasgow — the Co-op’s only UK manufacturing facility — set to strike over pay until November 7.

PM Liz Truss’ spokesman said: “Obviously we don’t want to see strike action.”

• Additional reporting: Ryan Sabey and Jack Elsom