The Rail Maritime and Transport Union said thousands of signal workers will walk out for 24 hours from noon on Friday 21 July.

A further 48-hour stoppage will start at noon on Thursday 27 July, it said.

Network Rail said it had worked hard to avert industrial action over a 21-month pay deal at the centre of the dispute.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said the union remained available to resolve the issue but added he could not understand Network Rail's refusal to consider a union request of a one-year deal.

"Network Rail has just agreed a one-year deal for over 15,000 infrastructure workers but is refusing to give 5,000 signallers the same - that does not make sense," he said.

"The company is fixated with a 21-month deal but all it has to do is apply the figures in the offer relating to the first year and it will be acceptable to the union."

'End of the line'

Network Rail Chief Executive, John Armitt, said it urged the RMT to take the offer as it was the "end of the line for negotiations".

"We are extremely disappointed by the RMT's decision, which means we are now facing a rail strike that will cause disruption for millions of people," he said.

Network Rail said the company was unable to meet the union's demand for a further substantial increase on top of the £2,500-per-employee raise already on offer.

An estimated 5,000 rail workers had planned to strike twice in June during earlier pay negotiations.

Both dates clashed with England World Cup group matches, but the union eventually called the strikes off so staff could be consulted over the new pay offer.

See also:

Rail strike dates announced

Times Online: July 12, 2006
By Ben Webster, Transport Correspondent

The Rail Maritime and Transport union today announced three days of strikes by 5,000 signal workers which would would bring the network to a halt if they went ahead.

The union said the workers would walk out from 12 noon on July 21 for 24 hours and again for 48 hours from 12 noon on July 27 in a protest over pay.

Network Rail said it had already offered a £2,500 increase for signallers and could not afford the union?s demands for a further "substantial" rise.

John Armitt, Network Rail?s chief executive, said: "We are striving for a railway that is affordable to passengers and offers value for money to the British taxpayer. We urge the RMT to accept that we have offered the best deal we can and that this is the end of the line for negotiations."

Network Rail said it had been making robust contingency plans to deal with the effects of a strike.

"Sadly, we must now ask people to prepare for industrial action. On strike days we will do our best to run as many services as possible. Over the coming days we will work with our partners, the train operating companies, to put in place a strike timetable and we will make this available as soon as possible," said Mr Armitt.

See also:

Rail signal workers set to strike

Press Association: July 12, 2006

Thousands of railway signal workers are to stage a series of strikes over pay, threatening travel chaos for passengers across the country.

The Network Rail workers will walk out from noon on July 21 for 24 hours and again for 48 hours from noon on July 27.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union said the strikes were called in protest at Network Rail's refusal to change a two year deal to one year.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said the union remained available to resolve the issue but added that he could not understand the attitude of Network Rail in refusing to consider a 12 month deal.

"Network Rail has just agreed a one year deal for over 15,000 infrastructure workers but is refusing to give 5,000 signallers the same - that does not make sense.

"The company is fixated with a 21-month deal but all it has to do is apply the figures in the offer relating to the first year and it will be acceptable to the union."

The rail network faces serious disruption if the strikes go ahead.