THE RMT called on the Scottish government today to end its silence on a long-running dispute with ScotRail ahead of another weekend of strikes. 

Rail union leaders have said Transport Scotland must intervene to bring an end to the argument over equality and pay justice for conductors and ticket examiners. 

Union members have walked out on successive Sundays in a fight over the issue of enhanced payments for rest-day working. 

Ahead of further action on Sunday, general secretary Mick Lynch said: “It is a kick in the teeth for these workers that Transport Scotland continues to wage war on essential workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to keep Scotland’s rail services running.

“The company needs to focus on resolving this dispute instead of putting its energies into organising managers to scab with only cursory training, putting public safety at risk.”

A Transport Scotland spokeswoman told the Star that the efforts of rail workers were “fully appreciated” and negotiations were between the union and operator — but there was “quite simply no additional funding available” and any increase would need to be funded through “efficiencies.” 

The calls came as the RMT also announced that ScotRail train care workers are to strike on Monday over the promotion of a manager said to have been found guilty of breaching dignity and respect policies.

The RMT union said the the member of staff had been promoted two weeks after being removed from his original post due to an incident in which he had been the subject of a collective grievance by 16 workers.

A number of workers are said to be incensed, but ScotRail said there had been no dispute following the investigation and it deemed the strike ballot “inappropriate.”