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Elizabeth line: Row erupts over Crossrail workers' pay as staff to ballot for strike action

RMT union members will vote on whether to begin industrial action in the coming weeks: Jeremy Selwyn / Evening Standard
RMT union members will vote on whether to begin industrial action in the coming weeks: Jeremy Selwyn / Evening Standard

Crossrail project workers are to be balloted for industrial action in a row over pay.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union working on the multibillion-pound development will vote on whether to begin industrial action in the coming weeks.

The union said Crossrail's train controllers - those responsible for overseeing track operations - have learned they are paid about half that of other grades.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: "RMT will not tolerate a situation where members working on the prestigious and expensive Crossrail operation are getting a raw deal on pay compared to other grades."

The Standard has approached Crossrail and VGC, the construction firm in charge of the project, for comment.

Crossrail will run for more than 60 miles from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through London via the tunnels, and out the other side to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The first of its services began to run between Liverpool Street heading east to Shenfield in June.

The route will officially be named the Elizabeth line when services through central London open in December 2018.

Around 200 million passengers are expected to travel on the Elizabeth line each year with 10 new stations being built to deal with the capacity.