NATIONALISED ScotRail faces many train services grinding to a halt again if an improved offer is not made to the majority of its 5500 staff in crunch talks planned for today.
That is the warning from Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) chiefs after workers voted against a 5% pay deal from ScotRail by 60% to 40%.
RMT chiefs have said that a ballot for strike action amongst its ScotRail staff would be the result if there is no movement on pay today.
It comes as ScotRail services are set to be crippled on August 18 and August 20 in a separate dispute as RMT staff working for the rail infrastucture owners Network Rail go on strike after rejecting a "paltry" offer of a four percent pay rise and a further two per cent conditional on achieving “modernisation milestones”.
Previous action saw nationalised ScotRail having to cancel nine in ten of its usual services, while cross border services were also severely disrupted.
It comes after three days of strike action in June failed to result in a pay agreement, with a four percent rise offered and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.
There has been a growing backlash from public sector workers in Scotland after ministers agreed a "breakthrough" up to 10% pay deal for ScotRail train drivers with the Aslef union.
A month ago ScotRail train drivers voted to accept a 5% pay increase - after services across Scotland were cut by up to half on an emergency timetable for nearly two months after drivers refused to work on their rest days.
A performance bonus scheme would take the wage rise to nearer 10% with inflation at 9.4%.
RMT has warned that the repercussions of a new ScotRail strike would be "massive and catastrophic" with major services disruption despite the expectation that contingency plans will involve bringing in management to maintain as many services as possible.
RMT regional organiser Mick Hogg said if a better pay offer is not forthcoming at a meeting with ScotRail today (Tuesday) then 3000 out of 5500 of its members - which include guards, ticket examiners, conductors and station staff - would be balloted for strike action.
"The repercussions are massive and catastrophic if that is where we end up," he said. "The ball is with ScotRail.
"It would affect services. Our members are guards. If there are no guards they would have to be cancelled on the grounds of safety.
"They would get managers to work the trains but they don't have the experience.
"They may be able to keep services going partially but not for the whole of Scotland. It will be concentrated in the central belt.
"It would would beg the question whether the trains would be operating safely."
Unions had previously rejected a 4.2% pay offer in the midst of threatened strike action.
In June, ScotRail offered train drivers a pay increase of 5% following negotiations with the union.
As well as a 5% pay increase, drivers would also get more money for rest day and Sunday working, driving instructor and maternity pay along with a policy of no compulsory redundancies for the next five years.
During their dispute, the train drivers union Aslef said rest day working remained voluntary so it remained up to individual drivers to decide if they wanted to work their days off.
While the dispute remained in place a reduced timetable affected a number of large events across Scotland, including Scotland’s World Cup qualifier match against Ukraine at Hampden Park and the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow.
Meanwhile cross-border train services have been slashed because of an "unofficial strike action" by drivers.
Avanti West Coast, which connects London to Scotland and the north of England, has also suspended ticket sales.
The train operator said it would run as few as four trains an hour from Sunday in an effort to stop short-notice cancellations that have plagued its operations in recent weeks. It usually operates up to seven an hour.
A row has erupted as the operator said the reduced timetable is "due to the current industrial relations climate which has resulted in severe staff shortages in some grades through increased sickness levels, as well as unofficial strike action" by members of the train drivers union Aslef.
The Aslef union disputes the term "unofficial strike action", saying the company did not employ enough train drivers to deliver its services.
Similar issues surfaced within newly nationalised ScotRail, which had to produced an emergency timetable which cut services by up to half for two months during a summer pay dispute as drivers refused to work rest days and Sundays, which is crucial to keep trains running.
Aslef said of the 'unofficial strike action' allegation: "This is a lie. Our members are not taking any unofficial action, and we are not stopping anyone working. This rubbish puts our members at risk of abuse and assault.
"Sunday forming part of the working week has been Aslef policy for decades. If you want a reliable seven day a week service: Employ. Enough. Train. Drivers."
This forms part of a dispute that will hit all cross-border services Saturday as train drivers at nine rail companies by a one-day strike over pay.
Aslef members with cross-border train operators LNER, CrossCounty and Avanti West Coast will be taking part in the industrial action.
Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer operations, said: “ScotRail will meet with RMT representatives on to discuss the next steps as we seek to resolve this dispute.
“The offer made to general grade staff is a strong one and recognises the cost-of-living challenges faced by families across the country as well as delivering good value for the public.
"While I’m disappointed with the result of the trade union referendum, I remain hopeful that we can resolve the current dispute and work together to encourage people back to the railway.”
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