Tayside and Fife passengers are facing large cuts to services from Monday, May 23 as ScotRail moves to a temporary timetable.
Rail managers say they are dealing with “a significant number of drivers declining to make themselves available for overtime or rest day working.”
It follows drivers’ union ASLEF’s announcement on a ballot for industrial action over pay after drivers rejected a 2.2% offer.
That means passengers could still face further strike action with Scotland’s train drivers staging a walk out for the first time in 20 years.
So why has the dispute come about?
In short, money.
Aslef Scottish Organiser Kevin Lindsay says: “We are beyond disappointed by the lack of action and any meaningful pay offer from ScotRail.”
No ‘meaningful’ pay offer
Drivers’ union Aslef says ScotRail has failed to offer its members a “meaningful” pay rise.
Non-driving staff have already accepted a 2.2% increase.
But drivers have rejected this.
With inflation sitting at 7%, Kevin describes the offer as “derisory”.
A Scottish Government owned company took over ScotRail at the start of April.
Kevin says there was hope it would “herald a new era of positive industrial relations”.
But he says senior managers appear determined to “resort back to the failed strategies of the past”.
And he says the union had “no option” but to launch the ballot.
“We are determined to ensure that our members, the key workers who kept the railways going throughout the pandemic are rewarded appropriately and that their pay reflects rising inflation and the cost of living pressures they face.”
Kevin says union officials are “available for talks at any time to help solve this impasse”.
What can travellers expect?
Commuters have reacted angrily to the temporary timetable.
Aslef officials have not revealed what form any industrial action would take.
But if ScotRail drivers do decide to go on strike, this would likely cause further widespread cancellations.
Cancellations linked to the pay dispute have already hit services across Scotland, according to ScotRail.
This reportedly affected more than 100 services earlier in May.
action after receiving an offer of a 2.2 per cent pay increase, a significant number of drivers have declined to make themselves available for overtime/rest day working. 3/4
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) May 7, 2022
The rail operator says “a significant number of drivers, but not all” are refusing to work overtime over the row.
And ScotRail says it is currently reliant on overtime working because of Covid-related delays to training new drivers.
With Sunday working considered as overtime, ScotRail has struggled to staff Sunday services in the event of holidays or sickness.
Perfect storm of disputes
The row coincides with RMT balloting rail infrastructure workers over UK Government led reforms to the railway.
And both could bring trains to a halt just as people are embarking on summer breaks.
A spokesperson for Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland said: “The transport minister has frequently met with rail unions in recent months and we absolutely understand the unions’ desire to negotiate a fair settlement for their members.
“Very recently the minister has provided clear support for the RMT in their current pay dispute with Network Rail at a UK level.
“It is our intention for ScotRail and its staff to benefit from the transition to public sector control and that is why we would call on everyone involved to take time to consider all options carefully.”
Conversation