Ferries provide lifeline services to the islands

About 450 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are being balloted on industrial action.

A strike would cause severe disruption for Clyde and Western Isles ferry services.

The RMT has already turned down an offer of a 3.5% pay rise because officials were unhappy that 1% of the deal was performance-related.

Unions held talks with CalMac managers in Glasgow on Friday.

The company said it was pleased with the way talks had progressed.

It was considering two possible deals over the weekend, one of which could be put to the union on Monday.

If that was accepted by officials the ferry workers would have the final say.

Stopped work

One of the deals would offer workers a 3% increase this year with a bonus scheme replacing the contentious proposal for performance-related pay.

A two year deal was also on the table, which would offer staff a further 3% rise next year.

CalMac ferries were last hit by strike action in 2001, when more than 100 RMT members stopped work for a week.

The dispute was in protest at a reduction in the working week for pier hands and sea-going staff.