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Staff at a Merseyside rail company are to be balloted for strikes in a row over pay.

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said its members at Merseyrail, excluding guards and drivers, would be urged to support industrial action.

The union said pay negotiations with Merseyrail had ended with two "derisory" offers being rejected.

General Secretary Bob Crow called on his members to deliver an "overwhelming yes vote" in the ballot.

Merseyrail was unavailable for comment.

Mr Crow said: "It is crystal-clear to us from the failure of the negotiations that what drives Merseyrail is not a wish to reward the hard work and loyalty to the staff but an escalating desire for bigger profits to line the pockets of the shareholders.

"RMT is sending out a clear message today that this situation can no longer be tolerated.

"Without the hard work of our members, there would be no company profits and it's high time that Merseyrail recognised that.

"We are calling on our members for an overwhelming 'yes' vote for industrial action, and industrial action short of a strike, that will force Merseyrail management to get back round the table and put forward a decent pay rise that properly rewards their staff."

The strike ballot will end on 30 November.

Merseyrail carries more than 100,000 passengers on average during weekdays on the Wirral and Northern Lines in Merseyside.