FERRY workers on the Clyde are to be balloted for strike action over the privatisation of some services.

The Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said that state-owned Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) has not given assurances that the workers' pensions and working conditions will be protected.

Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland has identified five CalMac routes for privatisation:

Three of the routes – Ardrossan to Brodick, Wemyss Bay to Rothesay and Largs to Cumbrae are on the Clyde.

Oban to Craignure and Pentland Firth line, which links the mainland to Orkney, are the other two routes.

The RMT said it set out "clear and reasonable demands" to CalMac over the past two months. These include assurances from the company that terms and conditions of employment will not change and that pension provisions will be protected.

The union also demands a single joint-bargaining structure for any workers who are splintered off, to ensure pay and conditions remain standardised across the new companies in future.

CalMac is accused of "stalling" and promising meetings which "never materialised".

The union said it now has "no choice but to move to a ballot of members" for a strike.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We are confident our members will deliver a resounding mandate as they fight to protect their rights, their working conditions and their futures."

A spokesman for government body Transport Scotland said: "Claims we are planning to sell off these routes are simply untrue.

"The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our island and remote communities."