A GROUP of rail workers and supporters once again formed a picket line outside Basingstoke train station on Wednesday (July 27) as part of ongoing strike action.

Picket lines were mounted outside railway stations as thousands of members of the RMT at Network Rail and 14 train operators went on strike.

Bradley Phillips, a youth officer at Basingstoke Young Labour, joined the striking workers.

He said: "Proud to have attended and supported RMT Union strikers today. I'll always stand up for working people on conditions and pay. Train guards are vital for passenger safety, especially disabled passengers."

READ MORE: More travel chaos as another rail union announces strike action

He called on transport secretary Grant Shapps to 'do his job' and negotiate a deal, adding that the need for further strikes was a "total failure" on the part of the government.

The strike has been called by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, with signallers, track workers, telecommunication workers, guards and many other railway workers striking.

The strike aims to achieve three goals. Firstly, the union members are campaigning for no compulsory redundancies. They are also hoping to bring attention to attacks on their terms and conditions. Finally, the union is hoping for a cost of living pay rise, in line with the soaring inflation that is currently gripping the UK.

This is the largest industrial action of its kind in decades.

The strikes began last month, but an agreement has not been reached.

SEE ALSO: RMT Union members picket Basingstoke station

Passengers were urged to only travel by train if they had to on Wednesday.

Only around 22 per cent of services were running, with just half of the network open, and services are stopping at 6.30pm, meaning the last trains to many destinations were departing mid-afternoon.

Trains will also be disrupted on Thursday morning with a later start as employees return to duties.

Around 80 per cent of normal services will run across the day as a whole.

More strikes will take place in the coming days, and a wave of industrial action is planned for next month on the railways and London Underground.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) at Avanti West Coast also walked out on Wednesday, while members of the drivers’ union Aslef at seven companies will strike on Saturday (July 30).

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