UNION members at the Port of Dover have voted for industrial action - but not an all-out strike - against job losses with P&O Ferries.

In ballots of more than 1,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union, all three ports voted for industrial action, but those based in Hull and Portsmouth also voted for strike action.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Our members at Dover, Hull and Portsmouth have voted for industrial action against P&O's slash-and-burn job cuts and against attacks on their pay and conditions.

"There is a clear mandate for strike action at Hull and Portsmouth, and we will be talking with reps over the next two days to consider appropriate dates, including over the Christmas and New Year period.

"Members at Dover, despite bearing the brunt of appalling job losses over the last decade, have voted for industrial action short of strike. RMT is a democratic union and their decision not to endorse strike action will of course be respected.

"We will be consulting with our port committees over the next 48 hours, and the RMT executive will meet towards the end of the week to plan a campaign of action in all three ports."

At Dover, 146 members voted for action short of strike, with 117 against. In the vote for strike action, 55 were in favour, and 203 against.

This was in marked contrast to seafarers at Hull where 122 were in favour of strike action with six against, and at Portsmouth 44 were in favour of strike action, with 29 against.