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Legal action to stop rail strike Legal action to stop rail strike
(30 minutes later)
Network Rail is taking legal action in a bid to avert next week's planned strikes by signallers.Network Rail is taking legal action in a bid to avert next week's planned strikes by signallers.
The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) is planning a four-day strike from 6 April, which it says could hit 80% of services.The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) is planning a four-day strike from 6 April, which it says could hit 80% of services.
The dispute centres on Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend maintenance work.The dispute centres on Network Rail plans to cut 1,500 jobs and increase evening and weekend maintenance work.
The RMT union said its ballot was "perfectly above board" and it would respond with a "most robust defence".
'Sabotaged'
An RMT spokesman said: "We have spent two days in talks making some significant progress, only to find the progress has been sabotaged by a threat of Network Rail to use anti-trade union laws to drag us into court tomorrow.
"We have conducted a perfectly above-board ballot of our members. Our legal team is going through the papers tonight and we will announce the most robust defence of our legal position."
If the walkout goes ahead, it would be the first national rail strike since 1994.If the walkout goes ahead, it would be the first national rail strike since 1994.
TSSA supervisors and RMT maintenance workers are set to walk out from 6 to 9 April, while RMT signal staff will strike from 0600-1000 and 1800-2200 on those days.TSSA supervisors and RMT maintenance workers are set to walk out from 6 to 9 April, while RMT signal staff will strike from 0600-1000 and 1800-2200 on those days.
It is estimated that the worst-hit routes could be the commuter lines into London Victoria, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and London Bridge, where only one-in-10 trains could be in operation.
Easter strike fearsEaster strike fears
Network Rail has said it hopes to achieve the vast majority of the 1,500 job losses through voluntary redundancy.Network Rail has said it hopes to achieve the vast majority of the 1,500 job losses through voluntary redundancy.
Unions say the plans would adversely affect railway safety - a claim disputed by Network Rail.Unions say the plans would adversely affect railway safety - a claim disputed by Network Rail.
There were fears the strike would be called over Easter, but the unions said they deliberately avoided this in order not to disrupt the public over the bank holiday.There were fears the strike would be called over Easter, but the unions said they deliberately avoided this in order not to disrupt the public over the bank holiday.
However, the start of the strike coincides with the day on which Prime Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election.However, the start of the strike coincides with the day on which Prime Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to announce the date of the general election.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis have both urged the two sides to try to resolve the row.