Thousands are hit by rail strike chaos

HUNDREDS of train services ground to a halt yesterday after signallers walked out in protest at plans to change working rosters.

The 24-hour strike from noon yesterday caused chaos on the network, leaving passengers fuming.

Many commuters spoke of the frustration at being left in the lurch, particularly as the action happened during a tough economic time, and vented their fury at union leaders.

A second 24-hour strike will start at noon tomorrow unless talks that resume today find a resolution. Network Rail and the Rail, Maritime & Transport union (RMT) will meet at Acas again this afternoon in a bid to find a breakthrough.

The walk-out yesterday forced the cancellation of at least 40 per cent of First ScotRail services, including all trains north of Perth.

Network Rail said more trains than expected may run this morning because of the number of signallers who did not take part in the strike. However, the RMT said there had been "rock-solid" support from its 450 signallers and supervisors.

The action is the second by RMT signallers in Scotland in two years. Network Rail said the RMT had threatened strikes 17 times across Britain in the past year.

Business leaders expressed anger at the timing of the walk-out, coming amid the economic downturn, while passengers said they were resigned to more rail disruption. A political row raged over the First Minister's intervention in the dispute.

Richard Cairns, the chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "One would expect that unions and management could have got together to sort the situation out before it reached this stage.

"Nobody wins from an action like this, and the costs will be high to both businesses and their employees."

Frustration was shared by passengers at Queen Street station in Glasgow yesterday. John Osborne, a solicitor waiting to travel back to Edinburgh, said: "In the current conditions, seeing such inflexibility is not good. Some people will be grateful to have a job."

However, there was sympathy for the strikers among other travellers. Norman Ritchie, an oil industry executive, who was forced to return home to Aberdeen by coach, said: "From what I have heard, the signallers have not received what they were promised, so they have had no other option."

Network Rail, using unusually blunt language, said the strike was being led by union "dinosaurs" who had misrepresented members' interests.

David Simpson, its route director for Scotland, said the dispute had been "manufactured" by two RMT officials "with a personal axe to grind".

It is understood that he meant John Macdougall and Dougie Hill, who are based in Dundee and Aberdeen.

RMT officials, in turn, accused Network Rail of mismanagement. Bob Crow, its general secretary, who joined a picket line at Motherwell, said the strikers were "determined that Network Rail will keep its side of the agreements we are all supposed to be bound by".

He accused the firm of using "scab managers with scant route knowledge" to staff signalling centres during the strike.

Network Rail condemned the claims as "damned lies". It said: "They always say the same thing. All managers are competent, trained signallers."

Tavish Scott, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and transport minister during last year's strike, welcomed the resumption of talks, but criticised Alex Salmond's actions.

He said: "The SNP have got to work out what their role is. First they said it was none of their business. Then the First Minister phoned everyone, which was too late. So now the government is involved, they need to stop Thursday's strike."

Mr Salmond said: "It's deeply unfortunate that one remaining issue in the dispute has resulted in substantial inconvenience to the travelling public.

"Both unions and management must do their utmost to resolve their differences."

BACKGROUND

THE routine tests to ensure signallers remain up to the job lie at the heart of the dispute.

Signal staff undergo assessment checks four times a year, because of their key role in ensuring the safety of trains.

The dates of such "non-operational activities" are normally agreed weeks in advance.

However, the Rail, Maritime & Transport union (RMT) said a shortage of signallers has led to Network Rail cancelling some tests, because there are insufficient staff left to cover for them.

The RMT said this had led to a backlog of tests and changes to working rosters at short notice. It fears that staff are not being given enough time to prepare for rearranged test dates.

Ian Macintyre, one of the union's Scottish regional organisers, accused Network Rail of "mismanagement" yesterday and called for vacancies to be filled.

The firm said the union had failed to provide any examples to justify its claims. David Simpson, its route director for Scotland, has said some allegations made by the union "bear as much resemblance to reality as a Thomas the Tank Engine story".

He said: "There is not one iota of fact to support what the RMT says. How can they be more unreasonable?"

The dispute started in May and has since been discussed by both sides at national level, before being referred back to Scotland for further talks.

After the strikes were called, both sides met separately with Acas on both Friday and Monday to no avail.