PASSENGERS using a busy Waltham Forest rail line face disruption as a union has voted in favour of going on strike.

Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) working for National Express, who run trains on the Chingford to Liverpool Street line, are in dispute over pay, conditions and reorganisation.

The RMT claim that National Express has made nearly half a billion pounds in profits from their rail operations over the past ten years while raking in £2.5 billion in subsidies over the same period.

The union has also demanded the Government take urgent action over National Express because it plans to hold on to its East Anglia and c2c franchies and the East Coast Main Line, which the Department of Transport has called to be renationalised.

The RMT will receive the support of members from ASLEF.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said: “RMT are in no doubt that the failure to make any kind of meaningful pay offer to staff on National Express East Anglia is all about the company trying to milk the franchises that they have left, fatten up their profits, and make their staff pay for a crisis which was cooked up in the boardroom by senior managers who have now jumped ship.

“RMT members have shown in this ballot that they are not prepared to be the victims of the National Express franchise chaos and that they are determined to fight for a decent pay rise and for decent working conditions.”

A National Express East Anglia spokesman said: "We are extremely disappointed that ASLEF and the RMT unions have called a series of strikes over their salary demands, despite lenghty negotiations where we have offered the unions a salary increase above the rate of inflation.

"In the present economic environment - where many companies are freezing pay at current levels - we believe the offers we have made are both realistic and appropriate.

"Strike action is not the solution and it will only result in difficult times for our customers. We are available at any time for constructive discussions with the unions to find a resolution to this year's pay award."

The strike action is due to take place on midnight, Thursday, July 30 to midnight Friday, July 31, midnight Thursday, August 6 to midnight Friday, August 7, midnight Thursday, August 13 to midnight Friday, August 14 and midnight Thursday, August 20 to midnight, Friday August 21.