Strike vote over train driver’s sickie

TRAIN drivers are to be balloted for strikes in protest at a colleague being disciplined for taking a day off work to watch a football match.

Aslef said 1,100 of its members at Scotrail will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch industrial action in support of the driver, who called in sick when he was in Germany watching Rangers play ast year. The union said he had since been demoted, with a pay cut of almost £20,000.

General secretary Mick Whelan said yesterday the demotion was unjust, adding: “It means that this driver will be fined almost £20,000 for each year he remains working for the company. As he is 47, this means over £300,000, and because it affects his pension it will go on beyond his working life.”

The result of the ballot will be announced on 16 February.

ScotRail said that the travelling public would not understand the union’s actions.