ScotRail examiners join conductors as strike extended

Weekly strike action by ScotRail staff has been extended, with ticket examiners to walk out with their conductor colleagues this Sunday.

May 2 was set to be the last of six Sundays of strikes by members of the RMT union, but the PA news agency understands this has now been extended.

Earlier this month, ticket examiners voted in favour of walkouts over a dispute around “equality and justice ‎over enhanced payments for rest day working”, with May 2 marking the first of their six weeks of action.

This weekend was due to be the last of six Sundays of strikes by conductors who the rail firm claims are trying to force a 50% increase in overtime payments for working no additional hours.

But from May 9, these workers will begin another six Sundays of action.

ScotRail has warned customers to plan ahead as significant disruption is expected as a result of the action.

A small number of services will still operate and the company aims to increase these in the weeks ahead.

For key workers, limited bus replacement services will be available to University Hospital Hairmyres, University Hospital Wishaw, Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline and Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

It also comes as onboard ticket checks returned to ScotRail trains from Monday as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer operations, said: “The RMT’s strike action is wrong and will have a significant impact on customers who are returning to the railway as lockdown eases.

“At a time when we need to attract people back to the railway to recover the business and secure jobs, the RMT’s damaging actions will turn people away.

“Industrial action will have no impact on ScotRail’s position on 50% overtime pay increases for no additional hours worked, given the severe financial challenges we face.

“We will do everything we can to minimise the consequences of this action, but customers who are trying to get back to some form of normality will be affected and may have to find alternative travel solutions.”