Ticket office workers at a leading rail firm have launched a campaign of industrial action after claiming that staff cutbacks were leading to long queues and worsening services to passengers.
Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association at GNER will refuse to carry out some of their administrative duties because of anger over plans to axe jobs.
The union said the job losses will lead to a reduction in the number of booking office windows at the company, which runs services from London's King's Cross to York, Newcastle and Scotland.
National officer Brian Brock claimed that complaints from passengers following previous cuts were "spiralling out of control" and had led to an increase in abuse against staff.
"Some of our members have had to take time off because of stress and staff are being threatened because passengers are fed up with the long queues.
"We are trying to tell people it is not our fault but our members have now had enough."
The union's assistant general secretary, Manuel Cortes added: "We are convinced that whatever inconvenience results from our action, most passengers will support our members in taking a strong stance.
"Forcing people to buy tickets from machines or the internet is completely unacceptable."
GNER spokesman John Gelson said: "We are surprised and disappointed that the TSSA is taking this action, as it is premature and wholly unnecessary. About half of GNER's travel centre staff are members of the RMT and they are not involved in this action.
"We are looking at every way possible to resolve this, including offering to involve the conciliation and arbitration service Acas, and we are fully open to further discussion subject to the union suspending this action.
