British rail staff plan nationwide strike next month

British rail staff are planning a nationwide 24-hour strike beginning on Sept. 26 over pay, job security and conditions, a union said on Wednesday, the latest in a wave of industrial unrest as inflation outpaces pay rises.

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) said it was pushing for a revised pay deal for staff at train operating companies after rejecting an "insulting" 2% offer.

The union is still in talks about a possible settlement with Network Rail, the public sector company that owns and operates most of Britain's railway tracks and infrastructure.

"I welcome the fact that negotiations are ongoing with Network Rail and the gap towards a resolution is narrowing. Time will tell whether a deal can be done to avert our next strike," TSSA union leader Manuel Cortes said.

The strike action will coincide with the annual conference of Britain's opposition Labour Party, to be held in Liverpool, the TSSA said.

Inflation in Britain topped 10% in July, with forecasts projecting further increases that could worsen a cost-of-living crisis, spurred mainly by soaring energy bills.