UNION members have voted in favour of strike action against Merseyrail in the fight to retain guards on new driver-only trains.

The rail union RMT confirmed that more than 81% of members voted for strike action.

Strike action will take place on Monday, March 13.

In addition members will not work any rest days from Tuesday, March 7 onwards.

The dispute relates to a new fleet of driver-only trains that will replace Merseyrail’s current 40-year-old rolling stock in 2020 and the security of guards jobs on trains.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “This ballot result sends out the clearest possible message to Merseyrail, Merseytravel and politicians across the area that RMT is prepared to stand up and fight for public safety and the guard guarantee.

"The company now has the best part of two weeks to sit down with us, address the core issues at the heart of this dispute and negotiate a settlement before the action commences.

“The union’s position on Driver Only Operation is perfectly clear. We will not agree to any introduction of DOO and will fight to retain the safety critical role of the guard and to keep a guard on the train.

"It is the failure of Merseyrail to give guarantees on those basic principles that has led to the current dispute and the campaign of industrial action."

He continued: “RMT asked Merseyrail to give the union assurances that any new trains will have a second safety critical crew member on board and that the guard will be retained on all services.

"We set out clear deadlines giving the company ample time to give those assurances but the company have flatly refused to consider a guarantee of a second safety critical person on the new trains.”

“This dispute, and the industrial action announced today, were entirely preventable if the company had listened and to the unions deep-seated safety concerns, had taken them seriously and had put passenger safety before profit.

"The blame for the industrial action, and the disruption it will cause, lies solely at the door of Merseyrail and those who are happy to put private profits before public safety.

“Merseyrail are also completely ignoring the clear wishes of their own passengers, who overwhelmingly oppose the idea of Driver Only Operated trains on their network.

"That pig-headed attitude has forced the union’s hand and the idea that we would compromise on the fundamental issue of rail safety is absurd. The union remains available for meaningful talks and we would expect Merseyrail to take up that offer as a matter of urgency.”

Merseyrail’s managing director, Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde said: "Every industry needs to modernise, otherwise its future is at risk. Urban railways like ours are no different.

"The advanced technology on the new trains means they will no longer require traditional guards. The elected politicians understood this when they authorised the new trains in December – satisfied that the new trains will be safer than the ones they replace.

"There will be customer service people, cleaners and security people on board, but not traditional guards.

"The RMT may be intent on blocking even modest modernisation plans such as Driver Controlled Operation (DCO), and watch as other innovations such as driverless cars on our roads overtake railways in the technology stakes.

"But as a railwayman of 28 years, I’m certainly not happy to let this happen, and I would urge the RMT to return to the negotiating table to constructively discuss how we can best re-deploy my existing, experienced and hard-working team of guards during 2020 when the new trains arrive."