Labour has reportedly banned frontbenchers from joining picket lines in the upcoming rail strikes.

A message seen by PoliticsHome and sent to shadow cabinet members said: “We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations.”

The message from the leader’s office then added: “However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded that frontbenchers including [parliamentary private secretaries] should not be on picket lines.

“Please speak to all the members of your team to remind them of this and confirm with me that you have done so.”

Railway worker Jessica Leather has written a brief note on Twitter telling people about why she is proud of being a member of the RMT union and the reason she is taking part in industrial action.

Rail workers are going on strike this week over pay and redundancies, with planned stoppages on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday expected to cause disruption throughout the week.

As well as avoiding redundancies across the industry, the RMT says workers’ wages should keep up with inflation, which has soared to a record 40-year high of 9 per cent.

If they are unsuccessful, the wages of workers on the railway would be set to fall in real terms.

Many workers across the economy with less bargaining power face this prospect in the coming months, but as rail workers have managed to unionise, they are well-placed to try and keep the value of their wages.

Jon Stones reports.

The UK could see a series of rail strikes over the next couple of months if a deal is not reached, the general secretary of the RMT union has said.

Mick Lynch said: “Our campaign will run as long as it needs to run until we get a settlement acceptable to our people.

“Whenever we get an offer that is tenable we will put that to our members in a referendum.”

Asked if the strikes could last for months if a deal is not reached Mr Lynch replied: “I think it will, yes.”

Half of Britain’s rail lines will be closed for three days this week after the RMT union confirmed strikes are going ahead. And we want to know what you think and how you might be affected.

Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Unite will walk out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions after last-ditch talks failed to come to a resolution.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps is urging workers to reconsider the industrial action as the government planned to introduce legislation to enable the use of agency workers to fill staffing gaps “if the strike drags on”.

We want to know: do you support the rail strikes? Let us know by clicking on the article below and voting in the poll.

The government is facing criticism after admitting it has still had zero meetings with unions on the eve of Britain’s biggest rail strike in a generation.

Ministers have been accused of a “dereliction of duty” after deciding not to intervene in talks between unions and employers, despite calls for them to play a role.

The Department for Transport confirmed on Monday afternoon ahead of the strike that ministers did not believe it was their responsibility to wade into the dispute.

Jon Stone reports.

The rail strikes are to go ahead after last ditch talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union said.

Thomas Kingsley has the details.

Recruitment firms have attacked Boris Johnson’s plan to tear up laws to prevent the use of strike-busting agency staff – warning it will break international commitments.

The head of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, which represents more than 3,000 agencies, also warned the idea would fail to avert the rail strikes and would only “prolong” the bitter dispute.

Legislation is expected this week to repeal the ban – introduced in 1973 by Edward Heath’s Conservative government – as a ‘Summer of Discontent’ looms.

Rob Merrick reports.