The union's executive will meet shortly to consider what action to call

Guards and train drivers at First Great Western have voted overwhelmingly to strike in disputes over breakdowns in industrial relations and the use of managers to guard and drive trains.

In separate ballots that closed today, drivers voted by 62 (81.6%) to 14 (18.4%) to strike, while guards voted by 229 (71.1%) to 93 (28.9%) to strike. The union's executive will meet shortly to consider what action to call.

“The votes reflect the anger that our members feel at the company's behaviour, and if it wants to avoid industrial action it should begin to deal sensibly with the range of issues involved and stop the routine use of managers to guard and drive trains

RMT general secretary Bob Crow

"RMT members at First Great Western have today made quite clear what they think of First Great Western's confrontational style of management," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"The votes reflect the anger that our members feel at the company's behaviour, and if it wants to avoid industrial action it should begin to deal sensibly with the range of issues involved and stop the routine use of managers to guard and drive trains," Crow said.