WORKERS on the Tyne and Wear Metro are being balloted on strike action in a dispute over pay.

System operator DBTW, a subsidiary of the German state railway, is offering a 1.4 per cent increase, well below inflation.

On Tuesday, May 8, members of the RMT union will begin voting on whether to strike or take action short of a strike. RMT regional organiser Craig Johnston said: "Tyne and Wear Metro operations were privatised and they are now run by the German state railways.

"My view is that if they can’t afford to pay people a reasonable, competitive wage then they should get out of the market place and hand the Metro system back into the public sector.

"They will be making a profit out of their operations, they don’t do these things for nothing.

"We are saying that it isn’t acceptable at times of increased inflation that we should take a financial hit while they continue to accumulate profit.’’ Mr Johnston added: "None of our members wants to take strike action.

"It costs our members money, it inconveniences the passengers - who we are usually helping, sometimes ion difficult circumstances - and we don’t want to damage the economy of thr North-East either.

"But there comes a time, when your are on miserable wages, when you have to make a stand, and we are making that stand now."

The ballot result is expected on May 22. The Unite and Aslef unions have also rejected the company’s offer.

A strike last autumn shut down the entire Metro network, which serves Newcastle, Gateshead, South Shields, North Shields and Sunderland.

DBTW Managing Director Richard McCLean said: "These are difficult economic times, and as an employer we can only make pay offers that are realistic and affordable.

"We had hoped that the three trade unions would enter into further talks with us as agreed last week.

"It is very disappointing that the RMT pulled out of those talks and have chosen instead to ballot their members.

"Our position remains unchanged - we have always said we want negotiations to continue and for the matter to be resolved without disruption to the services we provide on behalf of Nexus, for the tens of thousands of people who use the Metro every day across Tyne and Wear."

A Nexus spokesman said: "We are keeping in touch with our concessionaire DBTW on this matter and are awaiting further developments."