Britain is facing widespread travel chaos later this month when thousands of railway workers strike for three days.
It is the sector's biggest outbreak of industrial action in a generation.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on June 21, 23 and 25.
The RMT also announced another 24-hour strike on London Underground in a separate row over jobs and pensions.
Tube workers will strike on June 21 to coincide with the first rail strike, threatening widespread travel chaos.
This comes after the 24-hour Underground strike on Monday (June 6), during which Transport for London (TfL) advised passengers: "Do not travel unless necessary."
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The union said it will be the biggest strike on the railways since 1989.
Union members voted overwhelmingly for action last month in growing rows over pay and job losses.
The RMT said rail staff who worked through the pandemic were facing pay freezes and hundreds of job cuts.
General secretary Mick Lynch told the Mirror that blackouts, fuel shortages or empty shelves are a “realistic possibility” if ministers refuse to back down.
What's caused the strike?
Members of RMT union voted for action in May over pay and job losses.
The union says 50,000 railway workers will walk out on June 21, adding that the action will affect the national railway network for the entire week.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: "Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.
"We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1% and rising.
"Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.
"Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This unfairness is fuelling our members anger and their determination to win a fair settlement.
"RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways."
Which 13 operators are joining the strike?
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out.
Meanwhile, ScotRail is involved in a separate dispute, and further chaos could be caused by signalling staff joining the action.
The rail operators involved are:
- Chiltern Railways
- Cross Country Trains
- Greater Anglia
- LNER
- East Midlands Railway
- c2c
- Great Western Railway
- Northern Trains
- Southeastern
- South Western Railway
- Transpennine Express
- Avanti West Coast
- West Midlands Trains
What big events are affected?
The rail and Tube strikes will cause travel chaos for people going to a number of events, including concerts, test match cricket and the Glastonbury festival.
Glastonbury starts on June 22 and runs until June 26, with many festivalgoers planning to travel to the site by train.
Other events that week include England playing New Zealand in a test match in Leeds, the British athletics championships in Manchester, and gigs in London's Hyde Park by Elton John (June 24) and the Rolling Stones (June 25).
There will also be a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London on June 24/25 and it is Armed Forces Day on June 25.
What has the rail industry said?
Network Rail
Network Rail is continuing to meet with trade unions to discuss pay concerns, with chief executive Andrew Haines adamant: "We're doing everything we can to avoid strike action on the railway."
He went on to say while the firm recognises the cost of living has risen it does want to give workers an increase but the union "must recognise we are a public body and any pay increase has to be affordable for taxpayers".
Mr Haines said travel habits have "changed forever" and the railway must change as well, and cannot expect more than its "fair share of public funds"
"Failure to modernise will only lead to industry decline and more job losses in the long run," he added.
However, the boss said he remains hopeful of a compromise within the next fortnight to stave off the strike action.
"We will use this time to keep talking to our unions and, through compromise and common sense on both sides, we hope to find a solution and avoid the damage that strike action would cause all involved," he said.
Rail Delivery Group
Meanwhile, Rail Delivery Group chairman Steve Montgomery said the RMT announcement is "disappointing" and called for the "needless and damaging" strikes to be called off.
He urged the union to "continue to work" with partners like the RDG to "ensure a fair deal".
"No-one wins in the event of a strike," he continued.
"Staff lose pay, the industry loses vital revenue making it harder to afford pay increases, and passengers and businesses are disrupted."
Mr Montgomery said the group will work to keep as many services running as possible but if the strike goes ahead "significant disruption will be inevitable".
Transport Focus
Anthony Smith, chief executive of the watchdog Transport Focus, said customers will be "disappointed".
"This means uncertainty for passengers, so it is crucial that all parties get back around the table and resolve this matter without bringing the railway to a standstill.
"It is passengers who suffer most in the event of strikes.
"Passengers will need plenty of advance information about the strikes and what services will be running to allow them to plan their journeys during this uncertain time."
What has the government said?
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "It is incredibly disappointing the RMT have decided to take action that could drive passengers away from the rail network for good.
"The pandemic has changed travel habits - with 25% fewer ticket sales and the taxpayer stepping in to keep the railways running at a cost of £16 billion, equivalent to £600 per household. We must act now to put the industry on a sustainable footing.
"We are working with industry to reduce disruption caused by strike action, but unions are jumping the gun by announcing this when talks have only just begun.
"We once again want to urge the unions to come to talks with the rail industry so we can work together to build a better, more modern, passenger-focused railway."
