You are blaming the government?!! The railway companies are the employers. The unions would rather the government got involved because this is a political battle.
Incidentally, if you are trying to spread the myth that the customer is simply collateral damage, pray tell me why the unions deliberately target days to strike which have maximum impact on the public.
They are wreckers and Luddites and not fit for purpose in the modern world.
The rail companies are the employers but the government is directly involved in the negotiations.
The government own Network Rail & pay each franchise large amounts of taxpayers money
This not a normal business/union relationship
Of course the public are affected, if your going to strike you want it to have maximum effect