FERRY workers on London’s riverboats will join their landlubber comrades on the Tube as they strike next week in a bid for better pay.

Staff working for City Cruises, which runs boats between Westminster and Greenwich, will walk out from 7am on Thursday — coinciding with one of two strikes on the London Underground.

The strike, organised by transport union RMT, will be followed by further action on September 4 and 5.

“The City Cruises workforce have been getting a raw deal on pay and conditions from this high-profile company for far too long,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

“They are now organised and represented by RMT and have shown through their 100 per cent vote for action that they are determined to fight for workplace justice.

“All efforts through negotiations to get a sensible offer out of City Cruises have failed and the staff now have no option but to take strike action. RMT remains available for talks.”

The Central Arbitration Committee recently forced City Cruises to recognise RMT for collective bargaining after rejecting management claims that some workers did not want the union to bargain on their behalf.

Bosses also alleged that a recent surge in union membership was influenced by improper behaviour from reps.

“The employer contended that workers who had recently joined the union may have been subject to ‘peer pressure’ in this regard but did not explain what form this pressure may have taken.

“Nor did it produce any evidence to support its contention,” the committee report concluded.

“The panel is therefore satisfied that this condition does not apply.”