COMMUTERS could face disruption on the railways after the threat of a strike by thousands of Network Rail workers moved a step closer.
Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are to be balloted on industrial action in a row over pay, raising the prospect of delays and cancellations on the rail network.
Network Rail owns and maintains most of Britain's railway infrastructure, as well as 18 station, including Edinburgh Waverley.
The RMT said 16,000 staff across NR operations and maintenance will vote on whether to launch a campaign of walkouts and other forms of action.
The move follows a rejection in an earlier ballot of a four-year pay offer of £500 in 2015 followed by three years of rises in line with RPI inflation.
Talks were held at the conciliation service Acas but the dispute remains deadlocked.
The RMT union said it had "no alternative" but to hold a ballot.
General secretary Mick Cash said: "Our members have already decisively rejected the initial pay package offered by Network Rail. Despite intensive talks we have not been able to secure enough significant movement and that puts us into dispute and triggers the start of a national industrial action ballot.
"As far as we are concerned the one-off, non-consolidated, lump-sum payment this year is wholly inadequate and fails to recognise the massive pressures staff are working under to keep services running at a time when the company is generating profits of £1 billion."
Mr Cash said the union was "extremely concerned" that a no compulsory redundancy commitment only applies to the first two years of the four-year deal.
Phil Hufton, NR's managing director, network operations, said: "I'm disappointed that the RMT has taken the decision to reject the offer and ballot their members for industrial action.
"Our latest offer, which represents a significant improvement on the previous offer, is fair given our financial pressures and provides long term employment opportunities by guaranteeing a further extension to the no compulsory redundancy agreement as well as providing a lump sum in 2015.
"Pay awards at Network Rail over the last four years have been well ahead of the rest of the country. Pay has increased eight times more than workers in the public sector - such as teachers and nurses - and double the pay for private sector workers.
"We remain open to talks with the RMT."
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