"[It's] just incredible and we are very grateful to you all.”

South Tyneside Council said this was unconnected with union activity and the ballot call was at "odds with the factual position".The ballot of union members will close on 14 June.

GMB accused the council of not listening to workers' concerns and of suspending 10% per cent of the workforce.Regional organiser, Mark Wilson, said: "Refuse workers in South Tyneside are at the end of their tether."We are in this situation because council management thought suspending workers was a better idea than listening to their concerns; a blatant case of trade union victimisation.

"Any future disruption is entirely their doing. And is within their power to stop."South Tyneside Council confirmed that a GMB workplace representative was suspended pending an HR investigation, but it was with regard to health and safety issues,.

The authority said it was "entirely false" that it was related to union activities.

A spokesperson said: “It is inappropriate for the GMB to ask the workforce to make decisions on such matters without being afforded an accurate understanding of the issue.Southeastern, which also runs services to East Sussex, said from 18 May it would be introducing the new timetable, which it hoped would support further growth and space for an extra 10 million customer journeys during the next 12 months.

Scott Brightwell, Southeastern's operations and safety director, said: "Our railway is growing. The changes we're introducing this May will deliver more space where it's needed most and newer, more comfortable air-conditioned trains."We're also working to improve on-time running and reliability to keep cancellations among the lowest in the country."

More connections are being added for the stations between Ashford International and Maidstone East to Charing Cross, and there will be more calls at East Malling and Barming stations in the late afternoon and early evening to meet increasing demand.More carriages are also being added to key peak services including the 05:46 Dover Priory to London Victoria, 07:02 Ramsgate to Cannon Street and 07:50 Sevenoaks to Charing Cross.