The already troubled British travel industry, still mired in ongoing airline disputes, has been dealt another body blow after the RMT union advised that national rail network staff had spoken out in support of a proposed walk-out. This means the threat of a rail strike over the Easter period is now a very real possibility.

Members voted by a favourable 77 percent to take action against network rail whose changes made to working conditions and practices has resulted in around 1,500 job losses.

The RMT union claimed that no call to strike would be made before next Friday’s group meeting. Any decision will also take into consideration the results of two separate other ballots by signalling staff, who themselves are engaged in a running battle over work practices and pay.

General Secretary for the RMT, Bob Crow, said that the decision facing members was simple; either stand up and act for the benefit of railway safety or sit back and allow budget cuts to create another tragic accident on the UK rail network. Most members have pledged to adopt the former option of action. Crow also advised that the RMT union would be willing to agree on a deal with the fixed railway infrastructure operator Network Rail.

Network Rail has repeatedly claimed that practices inherited from the former state-owned operator British Rail are out of date and need urgent upgrading. While a maintenance member strike would slow but not halt train travel, a national signal staff strike would effectively stop all trains across the UK.