5% pay deal to end rail chaos 75,000 NHS staff ‘to strike’

TRAIN drivers in Scotland accepted a 5 per cent pay rise yesterday – raising hopes that months of misery for passengers was nearing an end.

Rail union Aslef confirmed drivers had agreed to an improved offer and would resume working overtime.

But as the announcement was about to be made yesterday, the NHS faced being dragged into Scotland’s summer of discontent after two unions urged more than 75,000 nurses and healthcare workers to reject the latest pay offer and vote to go on strike.

Meanwhile, train drivers for eight other rail operators threatened the biggest strikes for nearly 100 years as thousands more workers voted for walkouts. The drivers on routes including the East Coast Main Line voted in favour of industrial action as members of the TSSA

‘The temporary timeable will remain’

union, who work for Network Rail and operator Southeastern, also voted for walkouts.

ScotRail bosses said it is expected to take at least ten days to draw up fresh timetables, with it potentially taking weeks for the operator to bring back 700 trains.

Head of customer operations Phil Cambell said: ‘It’s a complex process so in the meantime the temporary timetable will remain.

‘In the next few days, we hope to be make an announcement on when we’ll get the full timetable back in operation.’

Golf fans were urged to avoid the railways by organisers of The Open in St Andrews, which starts on Thursday.

A total of 60.8 per cent of Aslef’s voting members accepted the improved deal.

Scottish Conservative Transport

Secretary Graham Simpson welcomed the news but said: ‘These cuts, and all the disruption and damage caused by them, could have been avoided if the SNP had got round the table and worked to resolve the situation.’

Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said last night: ‘It is this government’s belief that a progressive approach to industrial relations, and an effective voice for workers through trade unions, is at the heart of a fairer, more successful society.’

But the heath service now faces the threat of industrial action, with more than 75,000 NHS staff across Scotland being asked if they want to reject an offer of a 5 per cent pay rise and go on strike.

Both the Royal College of Nursyears ing and trade union Unison are recommending that workers reject the Scottish Government’s deal.

Chairman of the Unison Scotland health committee, Wilma Brown, said: ‘Staff have endured over ten

of real terms pay cuts only to be told by the Scottish Government, yet again, they will have to accept a below-inflation pay rise.

‘Unison are urging members to reject this offer and indicate that they will take industrial action.’

The RCN ballot also opened yesterday, with the nursing union demanding a pay increase of 5 per cent above RPI inflation.

Julie Lamberth, RCN Scotland board chairman, said: ‘Our members feel undervalued and are leaving the profession in large numbers. Fair pay is vital to protect patient safety.’

‘Our members feel undervalued’