Rail union RMT to ballot over 'derisory' pay offer

Drivers have declined to work rest days but the system is heavily reliant on the practice to function fully

Railway workers in Scotland are to be balloted on strike action after the RMT union rejected ScotRail's 2.2% pay offer as "derisory".

The announcement came just days before the operator cuts almost a third of train services to cope with a dispute with the train drivers' union Aslef.

Some drivers are declining to work overtime on rest days while the pay dispute remains unresolved.

The RMT said the timing of its strike ballot would be set out in due course.

ScotRail - which was nationalised by the Scottish government seven weeks ago - will begin a temporary timetable on Monday which it said would "give certainty" to passengers during the driver shortage.

The new timetable will cut about 700 services per day and the last train on many routes will leave up to four hours earlier than usual.

Hospitality and entertainment businesses fear the transport situation will affect their income, while commuters are concerned they could be struggling to get home using the rail network.

It is believed ScotRail needs 130 new drivers to end its reliance on rest-day working.

Jenny Gilruth said the railway network was dependent on rest-day working at present

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth said 38 drivers were expected to be trained by the end of this summer, with the figure rising to 55 by the end of the year and to 100 by June 2023.

She was asked if that meant the reduced timetable would be in place until the summer of next year.

The minister said: "Absolutely not. We want trade unions to come back to the table. But it is absolutely true to say that the network is dependent on rest-day working at the present time.

"We need to phase out that practice. I know the unions are supportive of that. And I think too it's time for the unions to come back to the table to work with ScotRail."

She added: "We need to get to a resolution on pay and I am absolutely committed to doing so with our trade union partners."

A typical ScotRail driver salary is more than £50,000, with drivers being offered a 2.2% pay rise and the opportunity to participate in a revenue share arrangement which would take the total package to 5%.

Aslef has rejected this offer.

• Anger over 'devastating' cuts to ScotRail services

Now the RMT, which agreed a backdated pay rise of 2.5% in October, has also rejected this year's pay offer.

UK inflation, the rate at which prices rise, jumped to 9% in the 12 months to April, the highest for 40 years.

The RMT union said workers had already been subject to repeated pay freezes and real terms cuts in living standards.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "ScotRail needs to put its hands deeper into its pockets and start rewarding their staff properly.

"We are in the midst of a brutal cost of living crisis for workers, but it is still party time for shareholders, speculators and big business executives.

"All we are asking for is a pay award that reflects the value of railway workers and the service they provide to the public day in, day out."