More rail strike dates announced after RMT rebuffs pay offer

Union recommends members reject latest offer and adds 24-27 December strike but drops overtime ban

Hopes of a deal to avert severe Christmas rail disruption were dashed on Monday night when the RMT union announced additional strike dates and rebuffed a pay offer from Network Rail just before the industry's deadline.

The union said it would put the offer to members in an electronic referendum this week but recommend that they reject it. It affirmed that two 48-hour strikes that will stop much of the railway next week would go ahead either way.