UNION chiefs insisted today's strike action would be welcomed by rail passengers - who could skip work to watch the England-Argentina clash.

Rail passengers in North Yorkshire were facing disruption today as train conductors at Arriva Trains Northern staged their latest 24-hour strike.

The strike was called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), which is in dispute with ATN over pay and conditions.

The RMT said it was still searching for a solution to the action - ongoing since January - and claimed it would meet ATN chiefs next week.

But it also said that today's strike was a golden excuse for football-loving workers who wanted to catch a glimpse of England's crunch World Cup clash.

An RMT spokesman said: "We have no option, but it could help the public. With the England-Argentina match, it gives everyone a damn good excuse not to go to work."

Norwich Union and City of York Council, two of York's biggest employers, said they were not concerned about the prospect of people skipping work - because arrangements were in place for those who wanted to watch the match.

ATN said it hoped to provide over 55 per cent of services today covering three-quarters of the network.

Ray Price, managing director of Arriva Trains Northern, said: "We are very disappointed that the RMT continues to reject our significantly increased offer and has instructed its members to inconvenience customers yet again with another 24-hour strike."

Cleaning staff angry at being told their contracts at GNER were finished stepped up their protest today.

They handed out leaflets to passengers at York Station in a new bid to highlight their plight.

Ten cleaners, who all work for York-based agency Northern Recruitment, were told last week they were no longer required.

GNER has changed contractors and claims it told the recruitment agency more than three months ago that changes were imminent.

But workers say Northern Recruitment only officially told cleaner staff in one-to-one meetings last week, giving workers little chance of finding alternative employment quickly.

Protester Paul May, 43, was one of the group on the protest line at York Station.

He said the group was seeking legal advice to see whether it had any redress for the way workers had been treated.

"At this stage, we can't rule out legal action. We have been to see a solicitor and will see what happens. We are appalled at the way we have been treated."

Northern Recruitment said it was unable to comment.

Updated: 10:39 Friday, June 07, 2002