Rail workers vote to continue strike action over guards dispute

Workers on South Western Railway have voted to continue taking strike action in the long-running dispute over guards on trains.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union backed more walkouts by 416, with 88 voting against.

A bigger majority voted to take other forms of industrial action – the sixth time the union has balloted its members on SWR over the issue because of industrial action legislation.

The turnout was 59%, well above the legal threshold for industrial action ballots.

The union has held dozens of strikes over the past two years, including 27 in December and on New Year’s Day, which caused travel misery for passengers.