Commuters face a second day of severe rail disruption today (Wednesday, December 14) as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are joined in walkouts by Royal Mail workers, and nurses prepare to take unprecedented industrial action. As on the first day of the 48-hour strike, around half of Britain’s rail lines will be closed all day, as thousands of members at Network Rail and 14 train operating companies walk out in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
Many parts of the country will have no services, including most of Scotland and Wales. Postal workers in the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will stage a fresh 48-hour national walkout on Wednesday, their third of six days of strikes in the run-up to Christmas.
Royal Mail has brought forward the final posting dates for Christmas cards to Friday (December 16) for first class mail, and December 21 for special delivery guaranteed. Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to start strike action in a row over pay on Thursday after talks with the Government broke down.
