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Combined strike action halting both Tube and mainline rail in the run-up to Christmas was threatened today.

RMT leaders announced the union would begin a strike ballot among nearly 3,500 Tube staff next Tuesday with the result two weeks later on 15 November.

That is just three days before the Aslef union is due to declare its result of an already announced strike ballot among 1,000 trains drivers on Southern Rail on 18 November.

Leaders of both unions expect overwhelming support for the strike calls. By law they must give seven days notice of industrial action - meaning the first combined walkouts could take place later next month.

At the same time the RMT said it would ballot its driver members on Southern Rail in the continuing row over changes to the role of the guard and increased driver-only operated (DOO) trains.

The result will also be on 18 November.

Aslef controls the majority of drivers but ballots from both unions mean virtually all Southern Rail drivers will be taking part - threatening a total shutdown of Southern Rail.

Both ballots were revealed earlier this month by the Evening Standard.

The white collar TSSA union has also warned that a strike ballot among up to 1,600 ticket staff is now “inevitable” saying London Underground has failed to protect its members from physical and verbal assaults from passengers.

The Tube dispute is over jobs with the RMT claiming 873 jobs have been removed from stations leaving staff unable to cope. Many station control rooms, where communication and alarm systems should be monitored, have been closed.

Steve Griffiths, LU’s chief operating officer, said: “The safety of customers and staff is our top priority and our hardworking people ensure LU remains one of the safest metros in the world. There are more of our staff available to customers in public areas of stations than ever before and crime is at its lowest level.”

The next two strikes by train guards on Southern Rail take place on Friday and Saturday of next week, 4 and 5 November.

Southern says it is changing the duties of the guard with responsibility for operating the doors transferred to the driver to improve services. It disputes claims by the RMT the changes are unsafe saying DOO is used safely across other parts of the Southern area and UK as a whole.