RAIL passengers in Yorkshire face the prospect of up to another TEN 24-hour strikes - including Christmas and New Year's Eve.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has scheduled the dates as part of its long-running dispute with Arriva Trains Northern (ATN) over conductors' pay.

The 680 RMT conductors will next strike on Friday, June 28. But long-suffering commuters could also see strikes on July 13 (York Racecourse John Smiths Cup Day), July 25 (start of the Commonwealth Games) and August 23 and 24.

Other day-long disputes are set to follow on September 21, October 19, November 9, December 14, December 24 and December 31.

In their separate dispute over restructuring, station and clerical staff at ATN will be striking for 48 hours on Thursday, June 27, and Friday, June 28.

Conductors are striking in protest at a pay deal given to train drivers, which was not then offered to them.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Arriva has told the world that there is no more money and that there is no chance of a negotiated settlement, so we have no option but to intensify our strike action.

"The company is also telling the world that its hands are tied by the Strategic Rail Authority.

"If that is true, it is outrageous that the same government-appointed authority which gave its blessing to the drivers' 18 per cent settlement should now be blocking a fair deal for other staff in the same company."

But Ernie Preston, of the York-based Rail Passengers' Committee, said: "It is about time this was all sorted out. Passengers haven't got much sympathy any longer.

"If this can't be sorted out then the sooner it is brought before ACAS the better."

An ATN spokeswoman said: "It is particularly disappointing that the RMT has announced ten further dates for strikes by conductors when it has been made perfectly clear to them that this will not benefit their members."

Updated: 11:36 Friday, June 21, 2002