WORKERS at South Western Railway are set to take fresh industrial action this month in the long-running dispute over onboard guards.

Members of the RMT union will refuse to work any rest days from February 16 to 19.

The company is one of five operators involved in rows lasting almost two years over staff duties on driver-only operated trains.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is frankly disgraceful that South Western Railway point-blank refuse to engage with the union in meaningful talks over their plans to run trains without a safety-critical guard on board across this franchise.

“It is the intransigent attitude of the company which has forced us to put on this latest phase of industrial action in an effort to force them to see sense and to drive them back to the negotiating table for genuine and meaningful talks.

“We know that this action will have a serious impact on services and the responsibility for the disruption caused will be wholly down to South Western Railway and their pig-headed attitude.

“It is time for the company to get out of the bunker and start talking.”

Southern, Merseyrail, Greater Anglia and Arriva Rail North are also in dispute with the RMT over guards.