Rail staff vote on further action

A dispute over rosters has led to industrial action

Senior conductors working for Central Trains are to be balloted over taking further industrial action.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said it was organising the ballot as part of a dispute over work rosters.

If the 550 staff agree to the action, they will refuse to take on extra revenue duties. Central Trains said it was "disappointed" at the ballot.

Central Trains runs services across the Midlands and routes to Liverpool, Cleethorpes, Stansted and Cardiff.

A spokesman for Central Trains said it had now offered two deals which the RMT rejected and that an agreement reached through talks with conciliation service ACAS was also later rejected.

"We have been, and will always be available to talk to the union to discuss the issues," he said.

Conductors held two 24-hour strikes over the Christmas period.

RMT secretary Bob Crow said: "A vote for action short of a strike will be a vote to stop handling revenue, and we hope that hitting the company where it hurts will help to concentrate their minds enough to drop their silliness and negotiate honestly to end the dispute."