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The threat of a Tube shutdown in the escalating row over pay increased today after an eighth round of talks broke up without agreement.

Preparations for an RMT network-wide strike ballot among its 10,000 members are now said to be “well under way” after the talks ended yesterday.

Union leaders have rejected Transport for London’s (TfL’s) two year “fair and affordable” offer of RPI plus 0.1 per cent in the first year and RPI plus 0.2 per cent in the second.

Demands from the three main unions include those for “substantial” pay rises and a shorter working week.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We have made an offer to our unions which we believe is fair and affordable. We look forward to finding a resolution in order to provide certainty for our hardworking staff.”

Mick Cash, the RMT leader, accused London Underground (LU) bosses of “blatant delaying tactics” saying the union “is now stepping up preparations for a strike ballot across the Tube network.”

He said: “Our negotiators are angry and frustrated as what they see as blatant delaying tactics by LU throughout eight rounds of pay talks.”

In a clear threat to bring the Tube to a halt he said: “Preparations for a combine-wide ballot of our 10,000 members are well under way and we will have no hesitation in doing what is required to force the pace.”

The pay row increased just days before the result of a second RMT Tube strike ballot already taking place – this time in a separate dispute over job cuts – is due to be declared next Tuesday, 16 July.

Overwhelming support for the strike call is forecast in the ballot among nearly 2,000 staff in the engineering, signals, electrical, track and control room departments and who have the power to halt the network.

The RMT is also preparing for a third strike ballot, this time on the mainline railways, in a continuing row over staff pensions.

Dates are awaited for what could be the first national rail walkout for more than two decades.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We have made an offer to the unions that we believe is fair and affordable.

“We met with them at ACAS yesterday in order to try to find a resolution and provide certainty for our hardworking staff. We would encourage them to continue to work with us to reach an agreement without causing disruption for Londoners.”