MILITANT Tory ministers are forcing unions to escalate national strikes, the labour movement warned today as rail workers and NHS staff announced more industrial action.

Transport union RMT rubbished government claims that it is “holding the country to ransom” and accused Downing Street of “co-ordinating an attack on working people” by ramming through changes to working conditions and real-terms pay cuts across railway services.  

After rejecting the latest offer from industry bosses, the union confirmed that two 48-hour strikes from December 13 and 16 would now be followed by a walkout at Network Rail — between 6pm on Christmas Eve and the early hours of December 27.