Scotland’s transport minister admitted the “signs are not optimistic” that rail strikes can be averted ahead of the global COP26 climate summit.
With less than a week to go until the landmark conference, fears are mounting that delegates and the public will face major disruption on rail services.
The RMT rail union said “a gun is being pointed at its head” after a Wednesday deadline was set for accepting a pay offer which would avoid a strike during COP26.
Members of the union who work for ScotRail will strike during the two-week global climate conference in protest at pay and conditions, with action due to begin on November 1.
‘Signs not optimistic’
The SNP minister, Angus South MSP Graeme Dey, said he “hopes” a strike can be avoided, but the “signs are not optimistic”.
In response to the October 27 deadline, he said the Scottish Government must have time to prepare contingency plans “not just to move delegates between the venues but for the wider travelling public who will be disrupted by this”.
He said he did “not accept” the assertion made by RMT that a “gun is being pointed at its head” in “any way, shape or form”.
He added: “The deal is on the table for tomorrow night. If the RMT decide to come back and accept the offer, we will very warmly welcome that.”
The Scottish Government said it will focus on “making alternative plans for rail operations during COP26” if ScotRail’s offer is not accepted by Wednesday.
Rail services in Scotland have been cripped for months by strike action, with few trains running on Sunday.
Three other unions have since settled their disputes with ScotRail.
The SNP’s transport minister admitted the disruption to rail services could be “extensive”.
‘Wholly arbitrary deadline’
The most recent offer to the union, which was made on Sunday, consisted of a 4.7% pay increase over this and next year and a £300 payment for COP26.
It also included additional payment equivalent to three hours salary for booking on for a rest day shift for the rest of the year, he said.
Mick Hogg, RMT’s regional organiser in Scotland, denied the transport minister’s claims that the union had “moved the goalposts time and time again”.
He told the BBC: “The goalposts were never there to be removed in the first place.
“We’ve actually been stonewalled for the last 18 months.
“No talks have ever took place and all of a sudden because of COP26 there’s this rush to get round the table in order to find a solution to the current dispute.”
Asked what pay deal would be agreeable, Mr Hogg said the “effiency savings that have been demanded by the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland are unacceptable as far as RMT is concerned”.
He claimed this would mean “booking office closures, job losses and station closures”.