There’s mixed news for Dumfries and Galloway’s train users this week.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are planning more strike action later this month.
But a dispute between train drivers union ASLEF and ScotRail has been resolved, meaning a full timetable will shortly be restored.
The RMT staged three days of strike action last month due to a dispute involving Network Rail and 13 train operators.
They have now rejected a new offer for a four per cent pay rise, combined with another two per cent next year and a further two per cent conditional on achieving “modernisation milestones.”
As a result, they are planning further strike action for Wednesday, July 27.
General secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “The offer from Network Rail represents a real terms pay cut for our members and the paltry sum is conditional on RMT members agreeing to drastic changes in their working lives.
“We have made progress on compulsory redundancies, but Network Rail are still seeking to make our members poorer when we have won in some cases double what they are offering, with other rail operators.
“The train operating companies remain stubborn and are refusing to make any new offer which deals with job security and pay.”
Network Rail’s chief executive, Andrew Haines, said: “It is incredibly frustrating the RMT has again chosen to disrupt our passengers, and even more so that they haven’t even put what was a fair and affordable two-year pay offer to their members.
“We have been clear that we can only fund an increase from our own budgets, and the only way we can afford that is by modernising working practices.
“The RMT’s rejection of our latest offer can only mean they want a pay increase to be funded either by more taxpayer support or higher passenger fares, neither of which we think are fair.”
Although ScotRail is not one of the train companies involved in the dispute, Network Rail is responsible for train lines and infrastructure.
During last month’s strike action, it ran a limited timetable on five routes – none in Dumfries and Galloway.
TransPennine Express ran no services in Scotland, while Avanti West Coast scaled back its services between Lockerbie and Glasgow and didn’t run any trains to Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, members of ASLEF have voted to accepted the five per cent pay rise on offer from ScotRail.
Earlier this year, they rejected a 2.2 per cent increase and also pulled out of working overtime and on rest days something ScotRail had relied on while they trained new drivers.
As a result, the firm – which came under Scottish Government control in April – introduced a temporary timetable in May, with services between Glasgow and Dumfries halved. The new deal means a full timetable can be restored, although ScotRail has previously warned it could take 10 days for that to happen.
ASLEF’s Scottish organiser, Kevin Lindsay, said: “Following a ballot on the improved offer negotiated with ScotRail, ASLEF members have voted to accept the proposals on pay and conditions.”
The firm’s service delivery director, David Simpson, said: “I am delighted that ASLEF members have voted for this pay deal. All parties involved have worked hard to find an agreement that recognises the hard work of staff and the financial challenges faced by the railway as we look to recover from the pandemic.
“This deal is a significant step towards delivering that.”
