Scotrail Workers Strike Over Safe Staffing Levels

This week's TUC Risks highlights the latest Trade Union concerns over health and safety as once agaion the rail union, the RMT has to defend itself agianst staffing cuts that compromise the safety of staff and the travelling pubilic.

The RMT's press release stated that the 72-hour strike this week by RMT guards and drivers at Scotrail in defence of safety staffing was 'rock solid'.

Risks outlines the strike:

The industrial action was in protest at the imposition of driver-only operation on the Airdrie-Bathgate line. There had earlier been three 24-hour stoppages by more than 550 staff over a Scotrail plan RMT says will undermine safety by removing guards. The union accused the Scottish government and the company of hiding behind each other and slammed the Scottish government's decision 'to bankroll Scotrail through the dispute.'

An RMT lobby of the Scottish parliament on 15 April demanded action over safety, both on Scotrail and at Network Rail, where the union is also in dispute over safety, jobs and conditions. 'It is scandalous that Scotrail have been given a nod and a wink by the Scottish government to undermine rail safety when the transport minister should be telling the company to honour its agreements with us.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said at the end of day one of the three day action. 'It is an abuse of taxpayers' money to bankroll Scotrail's strikebreaking tactics and indemnify the company against losses. Our members are quite clear in their resolve that Scotrail must stick to the agreement it has with us that it will not impose further driver-only operation, and they have today delivered another rock-solid strike. If Scotrail and Transport Scotland think this dispute will go away if they keep their eyes closed and hide behind each other they are plain wrong.'

Source: TUC Risks

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