Rail union chiefs to meet bosses in bid to end strike chaos

UNION chiefs are set to meet with rail bosses on Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the dispute which has crippled the country's train network.

The discussions between the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Network Rail management, facilitated by conciliation service Acas, are expected to take place in Glasgow at about 2pm, just after the first strike ends.

Last-ditch talks aimed at stopping the strike collapsed on Monday after no agreement was reached on the dispute over staff rosters.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said: "It must be a good sign that both sides are willing to resume talks and I welcome this development.

"It is deeply unfortunate that one remaining issue in the dispute has resulted in substantial inconvenience to the travelling public today and tomorrow and both the union and management must do their utmost to resolve their differences and avoid a repetition of the action."

Services wound down after the morning rush-hour on Tuesday, affecting all major routes. About 450 workers are involved in the dispute and the strike has been planned to stretch over four days.

The Scottish Government said the First Minister has been in regular contact with both the RMT and Network Rail since the breakdown of talks, and has also been in contact with Acas.

Commuters were facing more transport misery on Tuesday as the first of two 24-hour rail strikes by Network Rail signalling workers got under way.

The signallers – many of whom earn more than £40,000 a year with bonuses – are at loggerheads with Network Rail over working rosters.

First ScotRail services out of the Capital started winding down at 11am, with the last Edinburgh-Glasgow service expected to leave the Capital at 6pm.

Services on the lines north of Edinburgh have also been severely restricted – the last train to Fife is due to leave at 5.45pm on Tuesday.

Services will slowly get back to normal on Wednesday afternoon but the 450 signallers are also set to walk out again on Thursday at noon for another 24-hour stoppage.

The strikes have been called by the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and relate to disputes over working rosters, an issue which has remained unresolved since an RMT strike last year.

Mary Grant, managing director of First ScotRail, said: "We are as prepared as can be in difficult circumstances to minimise the disruption to our customers.
"We are disappointed the dispute has not been resolved and apologise to all who will be affected and inconvenienced by a strike which is outwith our control.

"It is to be hoped that further action will be avoided and that our customers are not let down in this way again."

Network Rail has said it has no intention of changing the established principle that rostered hours are binding.

But the RMT is insisting Network Rail wants to make changes to rostered hours.

David Simpson, Network Rail's route director, today claimed this is the 17th strike the RMT has threatened within the last two years

He said: "Despite our best efforts to resolve this dispute during our talks with Acas we are bitterly disappointed to inform passengers and freight operators that the RMT still intends to take strike action this week.

"We have been unable to shift the union from their position – a position that puts safety at risk by demanding safety assessments be voluntary, not compulsory.

"We have prepared a contingency train service which aims to reduce the impact on passengers as far as possible. Details are available from train operators and National Rail Enquiries."

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said Network Rail management still wanted the right to change rosters at short notice without agreement.

He said: "Network Rail is blatantly trying to unilaterally rewrite agreements without consulting the workforce."

As well as the strike action, a ban on overtime and rest-day working was also set to start today.

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Major works on the Edinburgh to Glasgow line will reduce train services by half – and those that do run will take 25 minutes longer.

A statement on the Scottish Football Association website said the engineering works were planned before the date of the big match was arranged.

The main Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street service will run half-hourly rather than every 15 minutes throughout the day and journey times will be extended by up to 25 minutes.

Extra services will operate from Linlithgow to Glasgow Queen Street from mid-morning to lunchtime, and there will be an hourly service between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central.

The line between Bathgate and Edinburgh will be closed on Saturday and a replacement bus service will operate.