‘We have no choice’: Striking railway workers picket stations as Aberdeen and Inverness trains cancelled

Aberdeen railway workers on strike have picketed the city’s station in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Inverness train station has also been deserted through the day with all services in the Highlands cancelled.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) members have been on strike on Wednesday across the UK.

In Scotland, no trains north of the central belt have been running. However, the strike was not linked to ScotRail.

Aberdeen strikers attending the picket have a variety of job roles in train operating companies and Network Rail.

An RMT member at the picket ,who did not want to be named, said: “We’re very disappointed to be here picketing, because it means that we’ve not been able to negotiate a pay raise for the members.

“Our staff are highly trained, highly skilled. But we are not highly paid as the media would have us believe.”

The long-running dispute between RMT and Network Rail has been ongoing throughout the summer.

Network Rail is an arm’s length public body of the UK Government’s Department for Transport.

‘None of us want to be standing here’

In response to the members of the public that will not be able to travel, one RMT member in Aberdeen said: “I’ll say the same to all the travelers that have talked to this morning, we are genuinely sorry that your journeys have been disrupted today.

“None of us want to be standing here.

“But we have no choice. We have exhausted everything else.

“So if you were to take your frustration out on anybody, please knock on the transport secretary’s door, tell him to go negotiate with the trade unions and give them a meaningful pay rise and stop insulting them.”

Tommy Campbell, 64, who worked at the Unite Union and the Trade Union Council for over 30 years also attended the strike.

‘Profits to workers not shareholders’

He said: “We have had an absolutely brilliant turnout today, the support we’re receiving from the public by people who are walking past or going past in private cars and lorries, have been tooting their horns in support.”

The picketers have been trying to gather public support for a redistribution of profits.

Leaflets distributed at the scene claimed that on average rail companies make £500million a year in profits.

Mr Campbell added: “Employers and the government need to get round the table, give less to the shareholders and give more back to the workers.”

UK Transport Secretary’s response

In response to the strikes, the UK Government transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “Sadly, this is nothing new. In fact, in my 3 years as Transport Secretary, there has not been a single day when unions have not been in dispute with the rail industry.

“Unfortunately, it’s too late to call off today’s damaging strikes but I urge the RMT and indeed all unions to stop holding the country to ransom with the threat of further industrial action and get off picket lines and back around the negotiating table.”