TUBE workers will vote on whether to stage a strike across London in a pay dispute, a union has said.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow has announced that a ballot will be held solely on the issue of pay.

A meeting of RMT London Underground representatives concluded that the current offer of a 1.5 per cent pay increase from April 1 this year followed by an inflation plus 0.5 per cent next year is unacceptable.

The union said it is looking for a pay offer that "reflects the real costs of living and working in an expensive city like London".

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said: “RMT representatives have worked long and hard to reach agreement on the issues of jobs and breaches of agreements but we have not been able to secure an acceptable offer on pay.

“As a result we have reached the point where we have no option but to put the issue back out to our members and to begin the process of balloting for further action across London Underground."

A date has not been set for the ballot but it is expected to take place in the next few weeks.