Talks to resolve a pay dispute between ScotRail and its train drivers are set to continue.
Drivers’ union Aslef last week rejected the rail operator’s latest 4.2 percent salary offer but said on Friday it was close to an agreement.
The dispute had a major impact on services after drivers refused to work on their rest days.
This led to ScotRail introducing a temporarily heavily reduced timetable to provide “greater security”.
The rail operator was nationalized by the Scottish Government in April.
Aslef members met in Perth on Sunday before negotiations resumed on Monday.
- The union says the train drivers are close to an agreement
- Train drivers’ union rejects ScotRail’s wage offer
- Trouble of the last train after timetable cut at ScotRail
After several weeks of severe disruption, a temporarily reduced Sunday timetable was introduced at the weekend.
Despite this, dozens of services were canceled and others terminated midway along their route.
Passengers attending events at Glasgow’s SEC and Hydro have been asked to check their travel plans in advance.
The last train downtown was due to leave Exhibition Center station at 9:03 p.m. – half an hour before the end of Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance at the SEC Armadillo.
Reduced ScotRail timetables have been in effect from Monday to Saturday since last month.
They have almost 700 fewer trains a day, with the last train on many routes leaving up to four hours earlier than before.
Exactly what Aslef is looking for is a mystery. The union says they don’t want to negotiate through the media, so they don’t come out in public.
Last week, ScotRail’s offer included a promise of no redundancies for three years, while another part of that included extended maternity and adoption leave.
Should there be an improvement to this 4.2% salary offer or could other improvements in service conditions prove satisfactory?
The problem with offering a bigger raise – apart from affordability issues now that ScotRail is publicly owned again – is that it’s difficult to offer ScotRail staff more, while public sector workers like teachers and community workers can only get a raise received from 2%.
Council unions said last week they would vote for a strike.
If today’s talks failed, a vote on a strike would appear certain.
The time frame for taking this vote – and notifying of any action – would mean it would likely be August before a strike could occur.
There would still be plenty of time to avoid this, but whether a solution can be found is another question entirely.
Aslef previously turned down a salary offer of 2.2% before later being offered 4.2% and improved terms – which Transport Secretary Jenny Gilruth said she was “hopeful” would be accepted.
However, the union announced on Wednesday that its national executive had rejected the offer and would vote for industrial action barring further talks.
ScotRail said it was frustrated with the decision and “surprised” that the union had decided not to make the improved salary offer to its members.
The “significantly improved” offering reflects the cost-of-living challenges faced by families across the country and balances it with the need to provide value for the taxpayer.
Transport Scotland – the government’s transport agency – described the latest offering as “both fair and affordable”.
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