Commuter chaos expected as rail signallers strike

Published on Monday 29 September 2008 22:24

COMMUTERS across Scotland face disruption on the railways next week after signal staff called a strike over working hours.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union said nearly 450 of its members at Network Rail would walk out for 24 hours from noon on Tuesday, 7 October.

A second 24-hour strike has been called for noon on Thursday, 9 October.

A signallers' strike in March last year severely disrupted First ScotRail services, with no trains running north of Stirling and few after early evening.

The union said signallers had voted more than two to one in favour of the action, and would also start an overtime ban next Tuesday.

Bob Crow, its general-secretary, said: "Our representatives have spent the last two years trying to get Network Rail in Scotland to abide by agreements on transfers and rostering and our members have made it clear that they have had enough.

"They are determined to put a stop to a practice that undermines their working conditions and any chance of a healthy work-life balance."

A Network Rail spokesman said: "There is no justification for a strike by our Scottish signallers at this time and we are disappointed and bemused by the RMT's decision."

First ScotRail said it hoped to run as many trains as possible.