Train services in Scotland tomorrow, Saturday, 29th October, are set to be severely disrupted after the RMT Union's Company Council and National Executive Committee (NEC) rejected ScotRail's latest improved offer.
The offer was rejected without the union giving ScotRail staff a chance to comment on it, and was an improvement on the previous offer which was a 5% increase in basic pay.
The latest offer would have given the lowest-paid staff a basic pay increase of almost 7.5%. ScotRail had proposed consolidating a one-off technology payment into basic pay on top of 5% which had already been offered and was worth £500 per member for all general grade staff (pro-rata).
The improved offer was conditional on the RMT suspending this weekend's strike action and putting the offer to its members. Because the RMT refused to suspend the strike or put the offer to its members, ScotRail has withdrawn the improved part of its offer.
Train services tomorrow will be limited to running only between 07.30 and 18.30 and only on the following routes:
- Milngavie – Edinburgh Waverley via Glasgow Queen Street Low Level (half hourly service).
- Glasgow Central – Lanark (hourly service).
- Glasgow Central – Larkhall (hourly service).
There will be no service on any other ScotRail route.
ScotRail is only able to provide this very limited service because of the number of staff required to cover for those on strike. The strike also means there will be a very limited service for rugby fans heading to Murrayfield for Scotland's match against Australia.
Further information about the strike action's effect on ScotRail services, including ScotRail's refund policy, can be found at scotrail.co.uk/strike.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail's Head of Customer Operations, said: “It's really disappointing that the RMT has refused to put this improved offer to its members so they can have a say.
“Further strike action has a damaging effect on railway's recovery at a time when we should be encouraging more people to travel. Instead, our customers are being severely impacted and our staff losing out through lost wages.
“Regrettably, we won't be able to operate the vast majority of our services on Saturday, 29 October, and customers should expect significant disruption to services due to the large proportion of ScotRail staff who are members of the RMT trade union.
“We're advising customers, including rugby fans intending to travel to Scotland's first autumn international at Murrayfield, to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel by train if they really need to.
“We remain open to resolving this dispute.”
The offer that was made to the RMT is as follows:
- 5% increase in basic pay, plus £500 technology payment.
- An excess revenue share premium.
- An improvement in maternity and adoption leave payments.
- An increase in Sunday working allowance.
- An increase in minimum flat rate pay to £10.50 per hour.
- The current agreement on Rest Day Working extended to 31 October 2023.
- Introduction of ‘2p per-scan' commission for mobile ticketing staff.
- Introduction of 3%commission payment for all gate and manual barrier staff.
- Increasing the no compulsory redundancies guarantee from five to six years.
- Commitment to bring Sundays into the working week within a five-year period.
- Twenty-two bronze ticket offices moved to silver classification with a further review in March 2023.
