Virgin East Coast rail staff vote to strike

Virgin East Coast rail workers have voted to go out on strike in a dispute over job cuts, working conditions and safety, the RMT union has said.

Five out of six (84%) of those who voted in the ballot backed walkouts and the union said its leaders will now consider their next move.

Destinations on the line include London, Aberdeen, Inverness and Hull.

Virgin Trains responded to the result by saying it would run a full timetable during any RMT strike action.

The two sides are in dispute over staffing changes, which the company says would have no impact on safety and no compulsory job losses.

The union's general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT will not sit back while nearly 200 members' jobs are under threat and also conditions and safety are put at risk."

David Horne, managing director for Virgin Trains on the east coast, said: "With our guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundancies, no impact on safety and a full timetable in place during any action, we urge the RMT not to call a strike which will cost its members pay for no reason, and to rejoin us around the negotiating table."