Scotrail in legal challenge over RMT union rail strikes

Members of the RMT Union are scheduled to walk out again on Sunday.

Published 1st Aug 2016

A dispute over the role of guards on trains which has led to a series of strikes has worsened following legal moves.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at ScotRail are set to walk out again for 48 hours from August 7, then for a further 24 hours on August 11, and over the weekend of August 13/14.

The dispute surrounds the increased use of trains without guards, with the driver opening and closing the door at stations instead.

A company spokesman said: We have written to the RMT to challenge some actions by the union that we believe contravene the legislation that governs industrial action. We await their response.''

An RMT spokesperson said: There is a threat of a legal challenge that RMT will look at in detail before we respond formally.

This latest move shows that ScotRail are keener on interfering in workplace democracy under the cover of the anti-union laws than they are in dealing with the issues of rail safety at the heart of the current dispute.''

Members of the RMT have already staged a series of strikes since the row flared, which the union said had been solidly supported''.