WORKERS on Northern Rail have voted to go on strike in a row over jobs and safety — adding to East Lancashire’s commuter chaos.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union-backed walkouts on dates not yet set in a dispute over a series of issues.

These include the removal of permanent posts and the creation of zero-hour jobs via a contract with security company STM, cuts to booking offices and changes to the role of train guards.

Already train travellers are facing having to use replacement buses for five weeks when the Blackburn-Bolton line shuts for the installation of an additional track near Darwen Station, affecting Hall-i-th-Wood, Bromley Cross and Darwen.

And earlier this week a report showed one in five passengers using Northern Rail’s Lancashire routes — which connect Clitheroe to Manchester and Preston to Blackburn, Burnley and Colne — is currently dissatisfied with the service.

The union said Northern Rail also won’t give any commitment on there being no compulsory redundancies beyond the end of its current franchise, which ends in February next year.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT has made every effort to win assurances from Northern Rail over jobs, services and safety. However, the company continues to ride roughshod over our efforts.

“We therefore had no option but to ballot all staff for action to force the company to take these issues seriously and the members have now voted decisively for action. That mandate will now be considered by the union.

“The union wants to end the two-tier workforce that the security contract creates and calls for all workers to be brought in-house on decent pay and conditions.

“We are also committed to keeping ticket offices open and defending guards’ jobs, which are safety-critical.

“We expect the company to now take this dispute, and its issues, seriously.”