The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has announced it will be striking on the day of the Eurovision final.

Rail workers at 14 train operators are to strike on Saturday, May 13 after union leaders rejected a pay offer.

In a statement shared on their Twitter account the RMT said: "Rail union, @RMTunion will launch strike action across 14 train operators on May 13th after rejecting the latest offer from the Rail Delivery Group.

"Following further discussions between the union and RDG, the employer issued a clarification on the offer @RMTunion has been considering.

"The RDG is now saying they would only implement the first-year payment of 5% is if the union terminated its industrial mandate."

What did Mick Lynch have to say on the matter?

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch added: "The RDG have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations. "No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory government.

"Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security...

"We are re-balloting our members and if we beat the draconian anti-trade union laws on turnout, we will have a renewed mandate for action.

"We will then put on a further programme of strike action to make the employers and the government who continue to hold the puppet strings, see sense in this dispute."

Further strike dates announced by other unions

Members of the train drivers union Aslef announced today (Thursday, April 27) that they will walk out on May 12 and 31 as well as June 3, which is the day of the FA Cup final.

The union said it has rejected what it called a laughable 4% pay offer from the 16 train companies it is in dispute with.

General Secretary Mick Whelan said drivers from those companies had not had a pay rise since 2019.