Wednesday 05 June 2019 1:58 pm | Updated: Wednesday 05 June 2019 5:18 pm

Commuters brace for Tube chaos as 10,000 workers balloted for strike action

Major strikes could bring London Underground to a standstill, with up to 10,000 workers threatening to walk out.

Union RMT said it would ballot for the strike action after “crucial” talks with management collapsed earlier today.

Managers refused to increase salaries and improve working conditions, RMT said.

Drivers, platform staff, engineers, and fleet maintenance crews would walk out in the strike, shutting down the entire tube system.

“RMT is angry and frustrated that the company have opted to ignore the massive contribution tube staff make to this city, delivering services, including the night tube, often in difficult operational conditions,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

He added: “The failure of tube bosses to come up with proposals that meet the union call for serious improvements in both pay and working conditions has been the catalyst for the collapse of the talks today.

“That failure … means we have no option but to accelerate the balloting process and escalate the dispute.”

RMT said it was open to more talks, with preparations expected to take a couple of weeks. “But no one should underestimate our determination,” Cash said.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We have made an offer to our unions that we believe is fair and affordable. We remain available for further discussions and have asked that ACAS [Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service] help to facilitate these talks. We look forward to finding a resolution in order to provide certainty for our hardworking staff.”