The ballot, scheduled to close in mid-June, follows the company’s failure to guarantee that it will stop removing buffet cars from its high-speed trains or to give assurances over job security and safe working conditions.

“The company has already removed the buffet cars from three trains and our fear is that it plans to do the same with nearly half of its high-speed fleet,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

“Removal of buffet cars has serious implications for our catering members and for safe systems of working on high-speed trains, as well as for levels of passenger service.

“The company is lamely claiming that cutting buffet cars will help their trains to run on time, but it is quite clear that they are putting profits ahead of safety and service.

“Our members have no problems with trialling new trolleys, but the right place for them to based is in a properly equipped buffet car, not in wheelchair bays or vestibule door areas.

“When the company asked passengers if they would like at-seat buffet service on long-haul journeys it forgot to mention that the trolleys would ultimately be instead of rather than in addition to the existing facilities.

“For months we have been trying to get the company to drop these plans, but last week FGW refused point-blank to give us the assurances we were seeking.

“I hope that passengers will understand that we have no option now but to ballot our members for industrial action, and that by defending our members’ jobs, working conditions and safety we are also defending their catering services,” Bob Crow said.