There will be no trains running from Renfrewshire stations this Wednesday as Network Rail workers are set to strike in an ongoing battle to secure assurances over future job cuts, working conditions, and a better pay deal from rail bosses.
Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) will walk out on Wednesday, July 27, with services to be affected until the following morning.
It is the result of a breakdown in negotiations between bosses and the union.
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Rail firm bosses propose closing as many ticket stations as possible as well as implementing driver-only train journeys, according to the RMT.
They also claim that the latest tactic used to cow them into submission, is the threat of compulsory redundancies.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch 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 per cent cuts to maintenance work, if we did not withdraw our planned strike action.
“The train operating companies have put driver only operations on the table along with ransacking our members terms and conditions.
“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 staff occupy critical safety positions on the railway network, such as signalling controllers.
40,000 workers across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will be striking.
ScotRail is unaffected, but due to the absence of striking Network Rail employees, the railways in Scotland will be severely limited, with only five lines in Scotland operating.
They are the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High line, the Edinburgh to Bathgate, Glasgow to Hamilton/Larkhall, Glasgow to Lanark, and Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts.
ScotRail bosses are advising people avoid the railways altogether on the strike day.
David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said: “Regrettably, this strike action by RMT members of Network Rail means that we will not be able to operate the vast majority of our services during the period of strike action. Customers should expect significant disruption to services on strike days, as well as the following day.
“On the five routes where we are able to operate a very limited service on strike days, we’re advising customers to seek alternative means of transport and to only travel if they really need to.”
The railway will only operate for part of the day on Wednesday, with services running from around 07:30 to around 18:30.
Services on Thursday will also start later in the morning due to the knock-on impact of industrial action on shift patterns.
Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland route director, said: “Our industry has been deeply affected by the pandemic, with passenger numbers still at only 75 per cent of pre-covid levels. We must modernise to put our railway on a sound financial footing for the future and reduce the burden on taxpayers.
“We are working hard to run as many trains as possible on strike days for our passengers and freight customers to keep as many people moving as we possibly can.”
The last offer on the table to Network Rail workers included a four per cent rise on basic pay, paid after one year backdated to January 2022, with two per cent in year two and a further two per cent if “modernisation reform” milestones are met.
Also, 75 per cent discounted travel for employees and family from January 2023, £650 for each worker as a cash "bonus", and a further £250 lump sum for those paid under £24,000.
The average RMT member in rail earns about £33,000, according to the union.
Network Rail’s chief executive, Andrew Haines, earns £588,000 per year.
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