Eurostar workers vote for strike action

A dispute at English channel rail operator Eurostar escalated today when maintenance workers voted to take strike action in a row over pay and conditions.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union voted by 176 to 27 in favour of taking industrial action.

Union leaders will meet on Friday to set strike dates unless the row has been resolved.

Customer service workers at Eurostar have already taken strike action this summer in a separate dispute over pay.

The maintenance workers, mainly based at a depot in north-west London, are in dispute over pay, travel concessions and working arrangements.