RAIL workers in East Anglia have voted to take industrial action in a dispute over job losses, threatening widespread disruption to train services.

RAIL workers in East Anglia have voted to take industrial action in a dispute over job losses, threatening widespread disruption to train services.

The Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) today revealed its members at National Express East Anglia had come out in favour of strikes over staff cuts.

Workers at First Capital Connect have also voted to strike over the same issue, while union members at London Overground have backed a campaign of industrial action over allegations of a breakdown in industrial relations.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT, said: "Our members at National Express East Anglia and First Capital Connect have struck a blow against selfish employers who are seeking to slash jobs solely to maintain profits and dividends.

"The scale of job cuts planned by operators across the railways threatens to undermine services, safety and the very fabric of an industry that is crucial to our economy and environment and it is vital they are stopped.

"The government has said it will use public projects to help Britain weather the recession but if it allows these greedy privateers to slash jobs to maintain profits it will be subsidising redundancies instead.'

Workers at First Capital Connect voted by more than 3-1 for strike action while those at National Express East Anglia supported strikes by 2-1.

In a separate row, over industrial relations, almost 300 RMT members at London Overground voted by 10-1 for industrial action.