The first stage in a ballot of 7,000 workers by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union closed yesterday in a dispute over pay, pensions and travel allowances which could bring the national network to a standstill.
A result will be announced on Thursday. If signallers and engineers back industrial action, stoppages could take place as early as next month, coordinated with strikes on the London Underground.
A Network Rail insider said some 200 senior managers who used to work as signallers could be deployed to frontline roles. The company hopes they will be joined by some of the 30% of signallers who do not belong to the RMT and may be prepared to cross picket lines.
A union spokesman expressed scepticism at the plan yesterday: "We will need to keep a very close eye to make sure whatever's done is done safely. I don't think members of the travelling public would like the idea of travelling on a line with skeleton staff who potentially don't know what they're doing."
Among the top priorities for Network Rail will be to operate some service on commuter lines into London. Andrew Clark
Senior executives at Network Rail are being sent back to the classroom for courses in operating signal boxes as part of a contingency plan to keep crucial sections of Britain's railways open during a strike.
The first stage in a ballot of 7,000 workers by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union closed yesterday in a dispute over pay, pensions and travel allowances which could bring the national network to a standstill.
A result will be announced on Thursday. If signallers and engineers back industrial action, stoppages could take place as early as next month, coordinated with strikes on the London Underground.
A Network Rail insider said some 200 senior managers who used to work as signallers could be deployed to frontline roles. The company hopes they will be joined by some of the 30% of signallers who do not belong to the RMT and may be prepared to cross picket lines.
Among the top priorities for Network Rail will be to operate some service on commuter lines into London. Andrew Clark
