There shall be no trains operating from Renfrewshire stations this Wednesday as Community Rail staff are set to strike in an ongoing battle to safe assurances over future job cuts, working circumstances, and a greater pay deal from rail bosses.
Members of the Nationwide Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Employees (RMT) will stroll out on Wednesday, July 27, with companies to be affected till the next morning.
It's the results of a breakdown in negotiations between bosses and the union.
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Rail agency bosses suggest closing as many ticket stations as potential in addition to implementing driver-only prepare journeys, in keeping with the RMT.
Additionally they declare that the most recent tactic used to cow them into submission, is the specter of obligatory redundancies.
RMT basic secretary Mick Lynch mentioned: “Community Rail haven't made any enchancment on their earlier pay supply and the Prepare Corporations haven't supplied us something new.
“The truth is Community Rail have upped the ante threatening to impose obligatory redundancies and unsafe 50 per cent cuts to upkeep work, if we didn't withdraw our deliberate strike motion.
“The prepare working corporations have put driver solely operations on the desk together with ransacking our members phrases and circumstances.
“RMT will proceed to barter in good religion however we won't be bullied or cajoled by anybody. “The federal government must cease their interference on this dispute so the rail employers can come to a negotiated settlement with us.”
Community Rail workers occupy vital security positions on the railway community, equivalent to signalling controllers.
40,000 staff throughout Community Rail and 14 prepare working corporations shall be hanging.
ScotRail is unaffected, however because of the absence of hanging Community Rail staff, the railways in Scotland shall be severely restricted, with solely 5 strains in Scotland working.
They're the Edinburgh to Glasgow through Falkirk Excessive line, the Edinburgh to Bathgate, Glasgow to Hamilton/Larkhall, Glasgow to Lanark, and Edinburgh to Glasgow through Shotts.
ScotRail bosses are advising folks keep away from the railways altogether on the strike day.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Supply Director, mentioned: “Regrettably, this strike motion by RMT members of Community Rail implies that we will be unable to function the overwhelming majority of our companies throughout the interval of strike motion. Prospects ought to anticipate vital disruption to companies on strike days, in addition to the next day.
“On the 5 routes the place we're in a position to function a really restricted service on strike days, we’re advising prospects to hunt various technique of transport and to solely journey in the event that they actually need to.”
The railway will solely function for a part of the day on Wednesday, with companies operating from round 07:30 to round 18:30.
Companies on Thursday can even begin later within the morning because of the knock-on affect of commercial motion on shift patterns.
Liam Sumpter, Community Rail Scotland route director, mentioned: “Our business has been deeply affected by the pandemic, with passenger numbers nonetheless at solely 75 per cent of pre-covid ranges. We should modernise to place our railway on a sound monetary footing for the longer term and cut back the burden on taxpayers.
“We're working onerous to run as many trains as potential on strike days for our passengers and freight prospects to maintain as many individuals transferring as we probably can.”
The final supply on the desk to Community Rail staff included a 4 per cent rise on primary pay, paid after one yr backdated to January 2022, with two per cent in yr two and an additional two per cent if “modernisation reform” milestones are met.
Additionally, 75 per cent discounted journey for workers and household from January 2023, £650 for every employee as a money "bonus", and an additional £250 lump sum for these paid beneath £24,000.
The common RMT member in rail earns about £33,000, in keeping with the union.
Community Rail’s chief government, Andrew Haines, earns £588,000 per yr.
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