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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tube staff vote on strike action | Tube staff vote on strike action |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Thousands of London Underground staff are to vote on strike action in a row over pay, their union has announced. | Thousands of London Underground staff are to vote on strike action in a row over pay, their union has announced. |
| The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said 6,500 would be balloted, including drivers and station staff. | The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) said 6,500 would be balloted, including drivers and station staff. |
| The union said it had spent 10 months in "fruitless attempts" to hold meaningful negotiations, adding that a pay rise was due last April. | The union said it had spent 10 months in "fruitless attempts" to hold meaningful negotiations, adding that a pay rise was due last April. |
| London Underground (LU) said its offer of a three-year above inflation pay rise was "very fair". | London Underground (LU) said its offer of a three-year above inflation pay rise was "very fair". |
| The offer would see a 4% rise for this financial year, and a rise at the rate of inflation plus 0.5% in each of the following two years. | The offer would see a 4% rise for this financial year, and a rise at the rate of inflation plus 0.5% in each of the following two years. |
| Talks collapse | Talks collapse |
| "Rather than balloting for strike action, the RMT should be putting this very fair offer to their members," said an LU spokesman. | "Rather than balloting for strike action, the RMT should be putting this very fair offer to their members," said an LU spokesman. |
| RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We have spent months trying to get London Underground to negotiate sensibly with us. | RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We have spent months trying to get London Underground to negotiate sensibly with us. |
| "We have now reached the end of the road. | "We have now reached the end of the road. |
| "LU can avoid industrial action by paying the increase that is due to our members. | "LU can avoid industrial action by paying the increase that is due to our members. |
| London Assembly member Geoff Pope urged both sides to immediately work together to resolve their differences. | |
| "It's totally unacceptable that, once again, Londoners are facing a threat of further disruption to their daily travel," he said. | |
| The last Tube-wide strike was in the summer of 2004 when RMT members took industrial action, again over pay. | The last Tube-wide strike was in the summer of 2004 when RMT members took industrial action, again over pay. |
| The ballot will end in mid-February and any strikes could start at the end of next month. | The ballot will end in mid-February and any strikes could start at the end of next month. |