The
RMT


is
holding
strike
ballots
of
its
members
on
ScotRail
and
Caledonian
Sleeper,
after
the
union
had
rejected
a
pay
offer
as
‘derisory’.

ASLEF
has
already
warned
ScotRail
that
it
is
seeking
the
authority
of
its
Executive
Committee
for
a
similar
ballot,
again
after
pay
talks
broke
down.

ScotRail
is
struggling
with
a
shortage
of
drivers
and
has
axed
an
estimated
600
trains
from
its
timetables
each
day
because
it
says
not
enough
drivers
are
volunteering
for
overtime
and
rest
day
working.

The
RMT
has
labelled
ScotRail’s
latest
pay
offer 
of
9.3
per
cent
over
three
years
as
‘insulting’,
because
the
union
said
it
is
‘well
below’
inflation.
The
union
has
also
pointed
to
this
year’s
6.7
per
cent
increase
awarded
to
members
of
the
Scottish
Parliament.

ScotRail’s
offer
is
understood
to
have
been
2
per
cent
from
April
this
year
and
the
same
amount
in
April
2025
and
2026,
plus
a
further
one
per
cent
in
January
for
the
next
three
years.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
said:
’It
is
ludicrous
that
the
MSPs
ultimately
responsible
for
running
these
services
were
taking
bumper
pay
rises
whilst
subjecting workers
to
significant
hardship
during
a
cost-of-living
crisis.’

Both
operators
are
nationalised,
and
are
run
by
companies
owned
by
the
Scottish
Government.

ScotRail
customer
operations
director
Phil
Campbell
said:
‘We’re
disappointed
the
RMT
is
balloting
its
members
for
industrial
action
following
the
pay
offer
made
last
week
and
we
encourage
members
to
vote
to
reject
it.
We
recognise
the
hard
work
of
our
colleagues
and
the
cost
of
living
challenges
faced
by
families
across
the
country
and
hope
that
we
can
come
to
an
agreement
on
pay
which
reflects
this,
as
well
as
providing
value
for
money
for
taxpayers.

‘We
want
to
resolve
this
matter
with
trade
unions
and
will
remain
fully
committed
to
further
discussions.’

Caledonian
Sleeper
managing
director
Kathryn
Darbandi
said
she
was
‘disappointed’.

The
ballot
will
run
from
18
July
to
8
August.

Meanwhile,
GWR
has
warned
that
it
will
be
running
reduced
services
on
Sunday,
again
because
of
a
shortage
of
train
crew.

Main
line
services
are
likely
to
be
cut
back,
while
some
branch
line
trains
will
also
be
affected.
GWR
said
engineering
work
in
Oxfordshire
and
the
Severn
Tunnel
means
more
train
crews
are
required
than
usual,
while
sickness
and
the
final
of
the
Euros
is
likely
to
reduce
the
number
of
staff
who
are
willing
to
work
overtime.