The threat of co-ordinated strikes on the railways and London Underground increased last night.

The industry's biggest trade union announced it was balloting thousands of Tube workers for industrial action in a row over pay.

The RMT union is already balloting workers at Network Rail in a dispute over pensions which threatens chaos on mainline trains later this month.

Network Rail station staff and white-collar workers in the Transport Salaried Staffs Association will also be balloted for industrial action over pensions.

Monday May 17, 2004