A UNION has made an 11th hour bid to "break the deadlock" to end a potentially chaotic strike during the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
The RMT rail union has submitted a "final position on pay" as the Scottish Government set a 5pm deadline to resolve the issues.
Members of the Unite and TSSA union have already agreed to end their pay ScotRail pay dispute.
The major difference to terms already agreed by the Unite and TSSA union is the request for improved rest day working payments.
The RMT is seeking enhanced "three hours booking on" allowance to be paid on top of hours worked with a review on October 2022. It is understood that train drivers represented by ASLEF have had this payment for many months.
The Herald understands that request is no different to what was requested in pay talks with ScotRail that broke down last week.
RMT, who have 2000 members including conductors, ticket inspectors and drivers has also asked for a 2.5% annual pay increase for the year backdated to April 1, 2021 - the same as has already been agreed by the TSSA union. Unite, who were negotiating for maintenance, overhaul and repair staff have got the raise over two years.
RMT has also asked for the one-off £300 COP26 climate change summit payment, already given to Unite and TSSA staff.
The RMT made the offer a matter of minutes before the Scottish Government's deadline of 5pm today to accept an offer to end the ongoing dispute.
The settlement on offer would see an increase in basic salaries between £1700- £2600. There is an additional £300 for supporting services during COP26 and an enhanced rest day working rate.
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The RMT rail union earlier today said they are ready to re-open negotiations immediately, while demanded that the SNP take action over restrictions imposed on fresh talks over the Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper disputes.
The original settlement on offer was to see an increase in basic salaries between £1700- £2600 and an enhanced rest day working rate RMT said: "We are making this offer in good faith with the sole intention of breaking the current deadlock and allowing us to make progress as the clock ticks down to COP26. We await a positive response from the company."
The RMT has already confirmed conductors and ticket examiners will strike alongside other colleagues throughout COP26 in Glasgow after talks over pay broke own.
It said last week that the strike which could bring Scotland's rail services to a standstill will go ahead as world leaders and leading climate change activists descend on Glasgow later this month for COP26.
The climate change summit will takeover Scotland’s largest city from October 31 to November 12.
Figures, such as Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Greta Thunberg, are among the names confirmed to appear at the conference.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that COP26 could be the world’s “last chance” to tackle climate change.
The threat by the RMT transport workers union to halt all train services within Scotland is expected to throw into chaos the already challenging logistics surrounding an international meeting aimed at accelerating efforts to combat global warming.
The RMT previously said that a ballot of more than 2,000 members -including conductors, ticket inspectors and drivers – on whether they would support strike action had backed plans for the stoppage.
Some 84% were in favour of the action over what it says is a refusal by train operator ScotRail and Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland to negotiate an acceptable pay increase.
Last week members of another rail union, the TSSA, voted to accept the pay offer from ScotRail.
Engineers have also cancelled plans for industrial action during COP26 after accepting a pay offer.
Around 250 Unite engineering members who provide maintenance, overhaul and repair services for the railway rolling stock will now receive an increase over two years of 2.5% backdated to April 2021 followed by a 2.2% increase from April 2022.
Unite’s members will also receive a one-off £300, and there is a commitment to provide additional jobs within the engineering section to assist with maintenance work being brought back in-house.
A ScotRail spokesman said: "As you would expect, we are giving it due consideration.”
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