ScotRail Industrial Relations issues (including conductor strike action)

[Goldfish62]

Nobody strikes for a day never mind 12 days unless there is something seriously rotten with the relationship between themselves and their employer. It will be most inconvenient for me personally if this strike does go ahead as planned, but folk are entitled to take industrial action and I would far rather live in a society where that is possible than one where workers' rights are further eroded.

Well said. Absolutely. No one is required to agree with every bit of strike action to still recognise that it is an essential right in a democracy.

 

[DanNCL]

The latest offer which the RMT have rejected without balloting their members is 4.7% over two years, which is an excellent offer given the current financial climate. If ScotRail can match the current terms with that pay rise then the RMT will have no case.

 

[snookertam]

Making redundancies would probably not be a smart move, but it's possible to dismiss workers if the relationship has broken down beyond repair and the dispute has been ongoing for more than twelve weeks.

The fact that so many staff appear willing to publicly slate their employer on a forum suggests to me that there is a real risk of the relationship permanently breaking down between some workers and ScotRail.

Yes I think the seeds for this have been sown throughout the Abellio running of the franchise. The problem now is that the Scottish Government don’t seem to be any better in that regard.

Part of me will be surprised to see this get resolved at all, given what we’ve seen happen up until this point. I very much back the Union here, but I think we’re starting to see a creeping view from those in power that they no longer view the railways as essential as they once did.

They are also facing strikes on a number of fronts during COP26. Refuse and School based support staff will be on strike in Glasgow, as will staff at Stagecoach. Whilst I hope they are able to use leverage successfully, I also fear that those in power will be happy to let it all occur as it will encourage more people to stay at home.

 

[LoogaBarooga]

The latest offer which the RMT have rejected without balloting their members is 4.7% over two years, which is an excellent offer given the current financial climate. If ScotRail can match the current terms with that pay rise then the RMT will have no case.

I don't think anyone has an issue with the money on offer. It's the sacrificing of conditions that's the issue.

 

[43066]

I don't think anyone has an issue with the money on offer. It's the sacrificing of conditions that's the issue.

And to be fair there is a long established history on many parts of the the railway of conditions being sold for one off pay rises, which seem decent at the time, but quickly pale into insignificance with inflation. Yet the conditions, once gone, are lost forever.

 

[43066]

I'll ask again. If it's such a big issue for members why is it reported that over 1000 didn't even bother to vote?

Probably a combination of those who disapprove adopting a tactical approach of not continue to reduce turnout (as explained above) and a larger number who are apathetic and insufficiently engaged in union matters to engage with the issues. I don’t necessarily agree with that approach personally, but it’s the reality for many railway workers.

 

[InOban]

The Scottish government is saying that the ballot is invalid because the vote wasn't held on the current offer.

 

[Starmill]

I’ve already said RTMS have been getting paid overtime for covering OUR shifts and bragging about their extra income to staff, so your point is moot.

It's not though is it. Overtime pay is available because it's the pay which the staff who are on strike would be receiving if they were working.

 

[maradona10]

It's not though is it. Overtime pay is available because it's the pay which the staff who are on strike would be receiving if they were working.

It’s overtime for them, they’re doing it on their days off and being paid extra for it.

 

[Taylor]

The Scottish government is saying that the ballot is invalid because the vote wasn't held on the current offer.

No surprise. The SNP have a history of not accepting the results of votes.

 

[InOban]

I'm no supporter of the SNP, but am I not correct that the RMT rejected the latest offer, because of the conditions attached? Without putting it to a ballot? I'm sure I've seen that from the RMT.

 

[DanNCL]

The Scottish government is saying that the ballot is invalid because the vote wasn't held on the current offer.

No surprise. The SNP have a history of not accepting the results of votes.

I'm no supporter of the SNP, but am I not correct that the RMT rejected the latest offer, because of the conditions attached? Without putting it to a ballot? I'm sure I've seen that from the RMT.

The Scottish government are right to say the ballot is invalid. Members have not been balloted on the latest offer which the RMT have unilaterally rejected. The offer members voted to strike over is an older inferior offer that’s been replaced by the new better offer.

 

[LoogaBarooga]

The EC have the authority to accept or reject offers don't they? The ballot was on whether or no members were willing to strike during Cop26. It had nothing to do with whether or not there was an offer on the table.

This is more stalling from the government.

 

[Norther Monkey]

I heard of this on the news this morning. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this the RMT representative who provided comment did nothing to gain public support because he gave no indication of the specific nature of the grievance(s). I then went to the RMT website, again plenty of angry rhetoric but nothing to explain to the public (who may be inconvenienced by this action) exactly why we should have sympathy with the RMT's position.

If you're going to inconvenience the public - to whom you are paid to provide a service, basic decency suggests you explain why. An additional benefit might be to have more public sympathy for your cause, which could only help you politically.

Edited to add: Just seen the RMT guy on the lunchtime news. The RMT really need to sort out their PR - I saw nothing but a rant. I'm, no further forward in understanding the RMT's case.

 

[Facing Back]

That's what I was thinking yes. Although facing back might have been asking an additional, supplementary question, and of course Bald Rick answered it anyway.

Thank you - yes it was a supplementary question. I wasn’t sure whether the franchise would transfer to a Scot’s version of OLR or the UK’s. Bald Rick did indeed answer.

Neither the DfT nor any other agency of the UK Government are involved in this dispute. Scotrail is controlled by Transport Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Government. Abellio's responsibility as operator is diminished by the emergency measures introduced during the Covid response, but they remain the formal employers of Scotrail staff.

Thank you. I know the formal dispute is between Abellio Scotrail and the RMT. My point, poorly phrased, was more about the participants in the proxy battle.

 

[Goldfish62]

The EC have the authority to accept or reject offers don't they? The ballot was on whether or no members were willing to strike during Cop26. It had nothing to do with whether or not there was an offer on the table.

This is more stalling from the government.

But on the other hand it could be seen as a strategic error by the RMT not to put the offer to members especially as it's now expecting a huge commitment from them to strike for 12 days. The Scottish government now has something concrete to bash the RMT with, which wouldn't have been the case had members been allowed to formally reject the offer.

 

[Falcon1200]

Hello, just a quick question please.. Will avanti trains still run to Edinburgh and Glasgow during the industrial action. Thanks..

Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central are Network Rail stations so should not be affected by the dispute.... But would non-Scotrail services still be able to call at the stations run by Scotrail which will presumably become unstaffed by the strike ? Eg Motherwell, Haymarket, Dundee, Aberdeen etc.

 

[alangla]

I see ScotRail's official line appears to be that if the strikes go ahead then they'll prioritise COP26 and to hell with the rest of the country. Clearly the priority now is avoiding embarrassment for the Scottish Government & not keeping the country (or Glasgow) moving. It'll also, presumably, be the first time the Argyle Line has had a service on a strike day, having been completely closed on a Sunday all year.
I've now changed my mind. This strike will happen.

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1448952801351159809

 

[Class 466]

Travelling up to Scotland during those dates for a week, really grateful I'm going by car now however I was looking forward to making a few train trips - alas, not possible!

 

[LoogaBarooga]

I see ScotRail's official line appears to be that if the strikes go ahead then they'll prioritise COP26 and to hell with the rest of the country. Clearly the priority now is avoiding embarrassment for the Scottish Government & not keeping the country (or Glasgow) moving. It'll also, presumably, be the first time the Argyle Line has had a service on a strike day, having been completely closed on a Sunday all year.
I've now changed my mind. This strike will happen.

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1448952801351159809

I don't think having a few trains running in Glasgow is going to help them avoid embarrassment tbh.

 

[ld0595]

I don't think having a few trains running in Glasgow is going to help them avoid embarrassment tbh.

It would definitely lessen the embarrassment if most delegates are still able to travel to the SEC from suburban stations in Glasgow. Still would be hugely embarrassing nonetheless.

 

[74A]

When did conductors give up time and a quarter for rest days ? Under BR they would have had it. I know many TOCs still pay it.

 

[XAM2175]

... I see ScotRail's official line appears to be that if the strikes go ahead then they'll prioritise COP26 and to hell with the rest of the country. Clearly the priority now is avoiding embarrassment for the Scottish Government & not keeping the country (or Glasgow) moving. ...

Alternately: "use what small resources we have left to support the enormous special event that would be a strain on transport networks even without a strike"?

 

[alangla]

Alternately: "use what small resources we have left to support the enormous special event that would be a strain on transport networks even without a strike"?

They didn't do this for the Edinburgh Festival and, IIRC, were there not games at Hampden over the summer that had no rail services?

 

[XAM2175]

They didn't do this for the Edinburgh Festival and, IIRC, were there not games at Hampden over the summer that had no rail services?

Neither of which were as large, nor affected by as large a strike?

 

[snookertam]

They didn't do this for the Edinburgh Festival and, IIRC, were there not games at Hampden over the summer that had no rail services?

Indeed. It’s also one thing to have Revenue team managers working each Sunday on very limited routes, but 12 days solid to try and provide a meaningful service sounds like being…. challenging?

Maybe they’ll jettison the services to Ayrshire and Inverclyde and operate an Argyle Line and Neilston service given they serve much more of the city’s suburbs? Would wonder where they’re going to get the staff to achieve this.

 

[qpsnapper]

They didn't do this for the Edinburgh Festival and, IIRC, were there not games at Hampden over the summer that had no rail services?

All the Hampden games at Euro 2020 were midweek.

 

[kkong]

All the Hampden games at Euro 2020 were midweek.

And there was a maximum capacity of only 12,000.

 

[Sirius]

Could be some retrospective confusion in recalling Scotrail’s social media messages for Euro 2020.

There was a lot of messaging at the time to inform fans that while they had extra (late) services from Mount Florida to Glasgow Central there would be no onward connections from Glasgow if you got on these (which ran as late as midnight). This wasn’t industrial action that was/is the timetable.

I think technically there was one train to Ayr, and very fast movers through the crowds from the final ones could catch the Queen Street low level services to Garscadden or Airdrie, but Twitter isn’t a place for nuance.

 

[Bill57p9]

I now have images in my mind of WCRC being drafted in to run an Edinburgh - Glasgow shuttle using their battered mk1s during COP26...