[Kizzy]

'Network Rail is planning for fewer than one in 10 trains to run if next week’s strike goes ahead, with Gatwick airport cut off in a peak holiday week and British steel production being brought to a halt, leaked documents setting out its contingency plans show.

While some East Coast services will run, the documents show Scotland will effectively be cut off by rail from England, with no trains on the mainline between Newcastle and Edinburgh, as well as the full West Coast closure.

The track operator also fears major business contracts could haemorrhage from railway to road if disruption continues, including mail services and freight links serving the UK’s major delivery hubs, according to documents seen by the Guardian.

No freight trains will run between Sunday night and Wednesday. The analysis shows even a 24-hour stoppage would have a critical impact on iron and could bring production to a halt at the Tata steelworks.'

It is understood senior Network Rail executives tabled a new pay offer to union leaders at talks at Acas on Thursday, and a deal may be close which would avert strike action. The original four-year deal froze salaries at inflation and did not extend guarantees against feared job losses until beyond 2016.

The leaked documents show the importance of Network Rail’s legal challenge to one union’s strike ballot, being heard in the high court on Thursday. While the TSSA union’s membership is only a fraction of the RMT’s, Network Rail believes it can run around half the normal service to Gatwick airport on Tuesday should the TSSA be prevented from striking.'

Why would they freeze salaries at inflation, it has no baring on rail fare increases and or profits, as we a currently experiencing deflation would they then expect wages to decrease?
Demand for services isn't likely to decrease either so why would there be worries over job losses unless they were planning to make 1000s on permanent contracts redundant and hire 1000s more back on 0hrs?
But of course the overarching message will be 'greedy workers cripple city' and 'militant union members squeeze poor billionaire' :/

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...g-90-of-trains