ScotRail services to be hit by strike action tomorrow
The RMT has rejected the latest pay offer
Most ScotRail services will be cancelled on Saturday as workers stage the latest in a series of 24-hour strikes having rejected the latest pay offer.
The RMT union rejected a proposal which ScotRail said would have seen the lowest paid staff receive a basic pay increase of almost 7.5%.
The union’s Scottish organiser Mick Hogg said the rail operator "refuses to offer a cost-of-living pay increase", and said the latest increase "falls well short of where we need to be as inflation RPI is sitting at 12.2%".
Scotrail said the deal has now been withdrawn, but it remains open to resolving the dispute.
Mr Hogg added: "RMT members will be taking no lectures from ScotRail - as the bosses continue to give themselves colossal pay increases.
Bosses 'disappointed'
"RMT are seeking a fair deal for our members that reflects the cost-of-living crisis."
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 the 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 are losing out through lost wages."
More than 2,000 ScotRail employees are members of the trade union, with staff working as conductors, ticket examiners, station staff, engineering depot staff and CCTV operators all expected to take part in the action.
As a result, the rail operator warned there will be widespread disruption to its services across the country.
What trains are still running?
ScotRail said the strike action means it can only operate a limited service between 7.30am and 6.30pm on Saturday, with a half-hourly service on the Milngavie to Edinburgh Waverley via Glasgow Queen Street Low Level route, and an hourly service on both the Glasgow Central to Lanark and the Glasgow Central to Larkhall routes.
It made a particular warning to rugby fans who are heading to Scotland's first autumn international to avoid using the train given the strike action will cause "significant disruption".
Mr Campbell said: "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."
Scottish Goverment response
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We absolutely respect the democratic right of union members to take industrial action and the continued constructive discussions between ScotRail and the Scottish representatives of the RMT members. This collaborative approach is distinct from that taken elsewhere in the UK, particularly on the issue of minimum service levels.
"That is why it is really disappointing that Scottish members are being denied the opportunity to vote on a new deal, one which would benefit lower paid ScotRail workers in particular.
"We once again call on the RMT National Executive to suspend the ScotRail strike action in favour of a members' referendum on the revised pay deal. That is the best hope of getting this fair and affordable offer into people's pay in time for Christmas."
All About Scotrail
ScotRail Far North Line in winter
ScotRail operates 3,120.5 kilometres (1,939 miles) of route, from a dense surburban network around Glasgow to some of the most remote stretches of line in the UK including the Far North Line from Inverness to Wick & Thurso
Glasgow Queen Street
Glasgow Queen Street station is the 3rd busiest in Scotland and underwent a £120m rebuilding project between 2017-2021 including a dramatic new glass-fronted entrance from George Square.
ScotRail passengers
46.7m passengers used Scotrail services in 2020-21 according to the Office of Rail Regulation. That's down from a pre-pandemic high of 97.8m in 2018-19.
ScotRail nationalised
Scotrail has been run by public sector body, owned by the Scottish Government, since April 2022. First Minister unveiled a plaque on one of the class 385 electric units which operate the Glasgow - Edinburgh service. Between 2017-22 Scotrail was operated by the Dutch firm Abellio, and before than the privatised franchise was in the hands of First Group and National Express.
ScotRail HST
Scotrail's flagship Inter7City long-distance services are operated by a fleet of refurbished High Speed Trains. These are the oldest rolling stock on the Scottish network having been first introduced in 1976. They are popular with passengers for their spacious and quiet carriages, but questions were raised about their safety and future following the official report into the fatal crash Carmont near Stonehaven in August 2020.
Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central is Scotland's busiest station, by some margin, with an 5,325,090 people counted coming in and out in 2020-21 according to the Office of Rail Regulation. That's more than 2 million more than Edinburgh Waverley station.