Rail workers have voted for another six months of strikes in their ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.
The RMT union announced that 91.6% of members taking part in a ballot to extend their strike mandate voted to continue their campaign of industrial action. Turnout in the ballot was 70.2%.
Under trade union laws, at least 40% of those eligible to vote must back strike action.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The National Executive Committee will now look at these fantastic results and negotiations will continue with Network Rail and the train operating companies.
“This union is determined to continue with this campaign until the employers understand that they need to respond to our members’ aspirations on job security, pay and working conditions.”
RMT members are striking over working conditions and after they rejected the offer of a 8% pay rise over two years on the grounds it does not match inflation.
The government wants to end the strikes with a new bill that would require minimum levels of service to run even during industrial action.
Earlier this month, Lynch warned that strikes could last all winter and into next year.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “It’s disappointing, despite recent positive developments, that the RMT has voted for up to six more months of damaging and disruptive strikes - strikes that will not only continue to force people up and down the country into missing school, work or vital medical appointments but will now potentially throw the Christmas plans of millions into turmoil too.
“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation and we once again urge union bosses to work with employers, not against them, and come to an agreement which is fair for passengers, taxpayers and workers alike. The very future of the industry depends on it.”