CRUNCH talks will be held on Tuesday between ScotRail bosses and train drivers' union, Aslef, in a bid to avert a second weekend of train cuts.

The emergency meeting was called after a third of ScotRail's Sunday services were withdrawn amid a shortage of train drivers.

Kevin Lindsay, Scottish regional organiser for Aslef, said the operator had "changed its tune" today in the wake of the disruption and wanted to resurrect negotiations abandoned in June.

It comes as Aslef confirmed it would ballot its members for action short of a strike and "action up to and including a period of discontinuous 24-hour strikes".

Members will have until August 10 to vote meaning the earliest possible date for industrial action would be August 17.

Mr Lindsay said: "They've asked us to attend pay talks tomorrow morning at 8.30am so we will be attending."

It is understood that some 30 additional train services had to be axed at short notice on Sunday after ScotRail fewer drivers than expected turned out to work.

ScotRail had previously warned passengers that a third of services would be withdrawn and issued a revised Sunday timetable.

Train drivers have rejected a 2.5 per cent pay rise and a one-off £500 bonus, amid concerns that new Dutch franchise-holder, Abellio, is planning to cut conductors and move to a seven-day working week.

At present, train drivers work Monday-Saturday with Sunday shifts paying overtime. However, the ongoing dispute has led to a "steep decline" in drivers volunteering to work Sundays.

Part of the pay deal is also understood to include proposals to change drivers' rest time from one half-hour break during shifts of up to nine hours. Managers also tabled suggestions to use new technology to reduce the time it takes to train drivers, which Mr Lindsay said Aslef "rejected out of hand".

Mr Lindsay said: "We will not compromise safety or the training of any individual on a pay deal, so it's going nowhere. That to me just sounds absolutely crazy.

"ScotRail actually has one of the best training departments and training academies on the railway.

"If they start trying to undermine them, all they'll do is demoralise the staff. I believe ScotRail train drivers are among the best in the UK and the best trained in the UK, and as such there is no way we are going to undermine that."

ScotRail drivers spend around eight months training at present, split between two months of classroom learning and six months of practical instruction. Once fully qualified, including a probationary period, the starting salary is around £39,000.

Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, a formal agreement between Abellio ScotRail and Network Rail, said: "We're getting round the table again on Tuesday and are entirely focused on reaching agreement on the pay structure over the next week or so."

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to avert the second strike in a fortnight on Scotland's west coast ferry services.

A meeting between Caledonian MacBrayne and representatives from RMT have been described as "positive" by the union.

RMT members working for CalMac and Argyll Ferries are preparing to hold a second 24-hour strike on Friday July 10, following three days of industrial action in June.

They are seeking assurances over job security, pay and conditions after the contract to run the Clyde and Hebrides ferries went out to tender, with private firm Serco vying to take over the service.

Further talks are scheduled for Tuesday, but in a statement CalMac said it was also preparing for the planned strike.

It said: "Ferry customers can be assured that we will do what we can minimise any disruption caused by industrial action."