Rail staff to face strike ballot in jobs row
A transport union is to ballot its members on taking industrial action which it says would bring Scotland's rail network to a standstill.
A transport union is to ballot its members on taking industrial action which it says would bring Scotland's rail network to a standstill.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) said the move follows a severe breakdown in industrial relations'' with the ScotRail Alliance.
The union said the rail operator appears to be recruiting for new staff'' at a time when controllers are facing job cuts.
It said initial consultations with unions on the alliance had ''made clear'' that ''no operational jobs would be lost'', but it subsequently became evident that four jobs will go within the controllers' grade and five train delay attributors will be lost.
This prompted controllers to speak out about what they said was a diminishing regard for safety standards'' on the part of the ScotRail Alliance, a formal agreement between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail set up in May to create a stronger relationship between the two.
TSSA has sent out ballot papers for strikes which will begin from April 11.
General Secretary Manuel Cortes: Scotrail seem to be treating passenger safety as a game of Russian roulette and our controller's patience with their shenanigans has finally run out.
These are a small but highly-trained and highly-skilled section of rail staff who take great pride in their work. They are the rail equivalent of air traffic control, they track trains keep them running safely.
They have been highly critical of Scotrail Alliance's efforts to introduce new working practices that would jeopardise passenger and industry safety standards and since the Forth Road Bridge closure they have been overstretched and with no slack in the system they have been working on goodwill rather than good practice.
Scotrail has promised time and again - and even at Acas talks just last month - there would be no changes until we have reached agreement on the staff structure for a new integrated control centre. Now they want to bring in new staff whilst existing controllers face a potential cull.
TSSA is furious that despite all our efforts to co-operate with Scotrail Alliance they are now undermining our agreed procedures, undermining and undercutting our controllers and gambling with passengers lives. Our members are not prepared to join in.''
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said: This is a matter for the ScotRail Alliance and the union. We urge both parties to work together to resolve any issues and avoid disruption to passengers.''
A ScotRail spokeswoman said: For several months we've been in discussion with trade unions about making changes to our organisation.
The purpose of these proposed changes is to reduce duplication and to ensure that we are delivering the safest, most efficient service to our customers.
No-one would lose their job as a result of these changes; anyone who wants to continue to work with us will be welcome to do so.
We want to continue our discussions with the unions, as industrial action benefits no one - our customers or our people.''