ScotRail passengers are being warned to expect mass cancellations next week after the RMT union announced that its Network Rail workers will go on strike.
The trade union says planned strike action over pay, job cuts and conditions will proceed as planned on Wednesday July 27, with further action expected on August 18 and 20. The move will affect daily railway operations as few signalling and maintenance staff will be available.
As a result, just nine services will operate every hour across the whole of Scotland: two trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High; two between Edinburgh and Bathgate; two between Glasgow and Hamilton and Larkhall; two between Glasgow and Lanark; and one between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Shotts.
All other services are cancelled on Wednesday - and a further 300 services are cancelled on Thursday morning because of the time needed to prepare the signalling boxes for operation after the industrial action. Passengers who are booked onto cancelled services can request refunds direct from the rail operator.
ScotRail says that while it is not the target of the strike action, it must slash services because of a lack of "safety critical" Network Rail staff on the railways on Wednesday and in the days before and after the walkout.
In a statement, it said: "Unfortunately, Network Rail will be unable to open any other signal boxes to operate passenger services on any other routes on the strike days. As there will be very limited services running, please only travel if necessary. If you have to travel, you should expect disruption and plan ahead."
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More than 40,000 people are expected to walk out across the UK as part of the RMT action. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has accused Network Rail of threatening staff with compulsory redundancies after union bosses sought better pay and job security assurances.
He said: "Network Rail have not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train companies have not offered us anything new. In fact Network Rail have upped the ante, threatening to impose compulsory redundancies and unsafe 50% cuts to maintenance work if we did not withdraw our planned strike action.
"RMT will continue to negotiate in good faith but we will not be bullied or cajoled by anyone. The Government need to stop their interference in this dispute so the rail employers can come to a negotiated settlement with us."
Network Rail has accused the union of playing politics. Tim Shoveller, Network Rail's lead negotiator, said: "A two-year, 8% deal with a no-compulsory-redundancy guarantee and other benefits and extras was on the table and they have walked away without giving their members a voice or a choice.
"Our door remains open to try and avert this pointless action that will cost strikers dear. We will now consider how we will move forward with our reform plans despite the RMT obstinacy."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We're extremely disappointed to see that instead of staying at the table, RMT executives have chosen to walk away once more. We continue to encourage RMT to do the right thing by their members and passengers alike and call off the strikes."
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