Rail workers in Scotland could strike this summer, as they aim to disrupt the Edinburgh Festivals.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Workers is preparing to ballot its members on whether they should take industrial action this summer over pay and conditions after a meeting of its National Executive Committee on Tuesday.

Scotrail had already offered workers a 2.2 per cent pay increase and no compulsory redundancies for two years but the RMT wants a higher wage rise, no compulsory redundancies for five years, no booking office or station closures for two years and hundreds of new apprentices.

Mick Hogg, RMT Scotland’s organiser said: “If the Government and Scotrail can raise fairs by 3.8 per cent and give nurses a 4 per cent [wage increase] for being key, essential workers, then where does that sit with rail workers who have also been called key and essential workers and are being offered a 2.2 per cent increase?

“We’ve been kicked in the teeth, as far as the RMT is concerned. It’s not good enough.

“If Scotrail, Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government don’t sit up and take notice, they’re going to be faced with industrial carnage in the run up to the Edinburgh festival.”

The industrial action could start on 11 July at the earliest, with the Edinburgh festivals starting in the first week of August.

The union have said that hundreds of new apprentices are required because the average rail worker is in their early 50s and they worry that the railways could become even more short staffed

In October, the RMT, which has 3,500 members in Scotland, agreed a one year deal comprising of a 2.5 per cent pay increase backdated to 1 April 2021 and a COP26 bonus payment.

They have decided to ballot members after they were not offered anything on top of the 2.2 per cent increase this year.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:

“Rail unions have long campaigned for public ownership and this Scottish Government has delivered our railways back into the public sector control.

“Rail unions are aware any additional increase above public sector pay policy amounts have a clear process which must be followed which includes Cabinet approval. Non-driving staff have already received the previously negotiated and agreed 2.2% increase for this year, while negotiations continue with both ASLEF and the RMT. We would encourage everyone to continue meaningful dialogue with ScotRail, their employer, so a mutually agreeable outcome can be reached as soon as possible.

“It is our intention for ScotRail and its staff to benefit from the transition to public sector control and that is why we would call on everyone involved to take time to consider all options carefully.

“Scotrail is looking at how best to manage this including looking at revising timetables on a temporary basis - our experience is that people want certainty when they travel so we are looking at how best to provide as much of that as we can during this challenging period.”

The RMT has also called for action from Scotrail and the Scottish Government regarding abusive behaviour towards staff.

The union believes that those who are found guilty of anti-social behaviour should be named and shamed and banned from using trains.

Mr Hogg said: “The anti-social behaviour is not getting better, it’s getting worse.

“I’m sick to the back teeth of it being brought to my attention about my members being subjected to anti-social behaviour and assault. Very little is getting done about it.

“I recognise that the British Transport Police do not have the resources. The Scottish Government can help by giving the police more powers.

“If they can ban those responsible for anti-social behaviour from shopping centres and football grounds, then why can’t we ban them from Scotland’s railways?

“If no one listens, I’m convinced it's just a matter of time before a staff member within the railway loses their lives.”

ScotRail blamed a "significant number" of pay dispute train drivers as over 400 services were cancelled in the space of just three days at the weekend.

The new minister-controlled ScotRail was hit with an escalated wave of rail chaos, with around 220 cancellations on Sunday alone, including on the key Glasgow to Edinburgh route, due to driver shortage issues.

Before Sunday's cancellation escalation, there were a further estimated 160 service cancellations over Friday and Saturday.

A further 135 other services were curtailed, with train carriages cut so they carried fewer people, with the blame placed on driver shortages.