A WEEKEND of rail misery could be on the cards for passengers after station and clerical staff at Arriva Trains Northern (ATN) voted overwhelmingly to join conductors on the picket line.

Early indications suggest they could join forces with their conductor colleagues and strike next week - causing two days of chaos.

Today, clerical and station staff members of The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) voted 232 to 18 in favour of strikes over pay, on a turnout of about 70 per cent.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) yesterday voted seven to one in favour of striking - 89 members voted for industrial action, with just 13 against.

Now union chiefs are warning a combined strike could cause a "total close-down" of Arriva services.

Arriva conductors have already held two 48-hour strikes. A third is planned for March 1 and 2 in protest at pay increases given to drivers but not to them.

Now both the RMT and TSSA view a combined strike on those two days as a sensible option.

If a strike is called, it will be the first time the TSSA has taken industrial action in 30 years.

General Secretary Richard Rosser said: "It seems Arriva only respond to muscle, so that's what we've had to resort to.

"TSSA is not a militant union. The last time we voted for a rail strike was in 1972. But our members are at the end of their tether."

Steve Coe, TSSA negotiator in York, added: "I would imagine TSSA would join any strike on March 1 and 2, although I cannot commit to that at this point.

"The effect of a combined strike would mean a total close-down (for Arriva). We now want to discuss the situation with the RMT."

At the RMT, York regional organiser Stan Herschel, said: "I personally think the first strike would join conductors in March, but it's up to our executive committee to set the dates."

Arriva, which has headquarters in York, could see its services wiped out, but other operators are unlikely to be affected by any strikes. GNER company spokesman Dave Mallender said: "We would reassure our passengers that GNER will run a full timetable unaffected by strike action."

An Arriva spokeswoman said: "We haven't received official notification. The matter is still between the union and its members."

Rail passenger groups today reiterated the need to find a solution.

Ernie Preston, of the York-based Rail Passengers' Committee, said: "We hope common sense will prevail and a solution is found before passengers are inconvenienced."

Peter Davies, Yorkshire chairman of pressure group Railfuture, added: "This is a problem which has been caused by privatisation and fragmentation of the railways.

"It could have quite devastating effects."

Updated: 15:06 Tuesday, February 19, 2002