RAIL workers are to go on strike during the Glasgow climate change summit as talks over a pay dispute "failed".
The RMT union confirmed that the strike which could bring Scotland's rail services to a standstill will go ahead as world leaders and leading climate change activists descend on Glasgow later this month for COP26.
It said that ScotRail had "failed to get serious" in talks today (Friday).
The climate change summit will takeover Scotland’s largest city from October 31 to November 12.
Powerful figures, such as Joe Biden, Barack Obama, The Queen and Greta Thunberg, are among the names confirmed to appear at the conference.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that COP26 could be the world’s “last chance” to tackle climate change.
As talks were to continue on Friday morning, Nicola Sturgeon was urged to personally intervene to resolve the rail dispute.
Now RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said negotiations have failed.
The threat by the RMT transport workers union to halt all train services within Scotland from November 1-12 is expected to throw into chaos the already challenging logistics surrounding an international meeting aimed at accelerating efforts to combat global warming.
"There was a golden opportunity for Scotrail to make serious progress in talks today but instead they offered nothing of any consequence and as a result our action throughout COP26 goes ahead as planned," said Mr Lynch.
"There can be no climate justice without pay justice and it's about time Scotrail, the SNP and Transport Scotland woke up to that fact. The same message applies to our Scottish Caledonian Sleeper members.
"There is still time to avoid the chaos of a transport shutdown during COP26 if the key players get back with some serious proposals. We remain available for talks but the ball is firmly in their court."
The RMT said last week that a ballot of more than 2,000 members -including conductors, ticket inspectors and drivers – on whether they would support strike action had backed plans for the stoppage.
Some 84% were in favour of the action over what it says is a refusal by train operator ScotRail and Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland to negotiate an acceptable pay increase.
That came after 250 engineers, who provide maintenance, overhaul and repair services for the railway rolling stock planned a COP26 strike to bring the nation's railways to a standstill.
A series of 24 hours stoppages were due to take place through COP26 over what a union called the "reckless" actions of ScotRail, which is operated by the Dutch state transport operator Abellio.
But that action was suspended to consider a new pay offer.
Mr Lynch accused rail bosses on Friday morning of having “dragged their heels over further talks”, despite the fact that the “clock is ticking” to the start of the summit.
With that in mind, Mr Lynch said he had now written to the First Minister “calling on her to intervene as a matter of urgency to bring about a fair resolution” to the dispute.
In his letter to Sturgeon, he said: “It is completely within the Scottish Government’s powers to resolve these disputes before Cop26 commences – it needs to stop stonewalling these key workers and give them the justice, respect and reward they deserve.”
Earlier this week, members of another rail union, the TSSA, voted to accept the pay offer from ScotRail.
It comes after Scotland’s railways have seen months of industrial action, with most Sunday services cancelled.
The Scottish Conservatives have previously called for urgent talks to avert the wider ScotRail strike that would halt most of the nation's trains during COP26.
ScotRail has said it would be able to run less than 10% of normal services if the stoppages went ahead, with trains on the Edinburgh-Bathgate-Glasgow line expected to be the only ones operating outside the Glasgow area.
Mr Lynch said: “It is frankly disgraceful that rather than getting all parties round the table for meaningful talks to bring about a fair resolution to these disputes, the Scottish Government is still failing to intervene, despite being in control of the ScotRail franchise and having a major interest in the Sleeper service.”
He added: “RMT has made clear from the outset that it is open to meaningful talks.
“Therefore, it is disappointing that with the clock ticking and just days to go until COP26, ScotRail and the Sleeper have dragged their heels over further talks, preferring instead to issue inflammatory and misleading communications to its workforce.
“I have, therefore, today, written to the First Minister calling on her to intervene as a matter of urgency to bring about a fair resolution to these disputes.
“As I said in the letter to the First Minister, the Scottish Government needs to stop stonewalling ScotRail and the Sleeper workers and give these green railway workers the justice, respect and reward they deserve.”
However, a spokeswoman for Scottish Government agency Transport Scotland, said it was “disappointing” that the RMT had not put the pay offer to its members in a ballot.
She said: “We acknowledge that the RMT has at last contacted ScotRail to reject this offer nearly two weeks after it was made.
“This is a disappointing response from the RMT leadership, particularly as we understand Aslef and TSSA have accepted the pay offer and Unite is recommending it to its members, who they are currently balloting.
“It is therefore disappointing that RMT leadership did not put this very good pay offer to a democratic vote to its members.”
The spokeswoman continued: “In the interest of collective bargaining, we understand that ScotRail would need to re-engage all four unions to determine next steps.
“The RMT leadership has made clear its problem is with rest-day working and that would need to be the focus for any further discussions.”
She added: “We are keen to see this issue resolved ahead of Cop26 so everyone who works in Scotland’s railways can play their part in welcoming the world to our country and showcase our efforts towards building a greener, cleaner railway.”
Meanwhile, a ScotRail spokesman said: “It’s extremely disappointing that the RMT have rejected a very good pay offer, negotiated over several weeks, and opted to continue with this highly damaging strike action, particularly when the other three unions have either accepted the offer or have recommended that their members do so.
“We’re seeing customers gradually return to Scotland’s railway, but the scale of the financial situation ScotRail is facing is stark.
“To build a more sustainable and greener railway for the future and reduce the burden on the taxpayer, we need to change. All of us in the railway: management, staff, trade unions, suppliers, and Government, need to work together to modernise the railway so that it is fit for the future.”
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