New concern over ScotRail driver recruitment 'scandal' that led to service cuts

Questions still remain over whether train staff, especially drivers, will accept the 4.2% pay offer - as at least one union aspired to have pay rises closer to a rate of inflation of 8.2%. Union leaders have not made any recommendations of acceptance or rejection to members and a consultative referendum is expected.

Concerns have been raised that as part of the deal, ScotRail only made a commitment to make changes to ensure seven-day rather than the current six-day working pattern within five years.

READ MORE: No end in sight in ScotRail service cuts chaos as union brands ministers' vow of 130 new drivers 'a joke'

It has offered to bring Sundays into the working week with full implementation "expected" by the 2027 December timetable.

Union sources fear that that is because it would require massive investment and a huge recruitment campaign to get enough drivers, conductors, ticket examiners and other staff.

The Herald on Sunday revealed concern that state-controlled ScotRail’s current plans to bring in 130 new train drivers will not end a staff shortage which has led to rail chaos.

One senior union official said that if ministers think the recruitment will eradicate rest day working “then they are living on planet Mars”.

As of Friday, there was still not one ScotRail train driver job being advertised on the website. Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said on May 19 that ScotRail had been advertising for drivers.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats warned that the nation's reputation for hosting major events is "being trashed" as the last train home for many Scots yesterday was brought forward by four hours amidst ongoing nationalised ScotRail disruption due to the train drivers' dispute.

A new Saturday emergency timetable revealed that the late train to some areas has disappeared in many areas - with final trips setting out before night outs have barely begun.   ScotRail later added more late-night train services to its timetable.

The state-controlled service was cut by a third from last Monday due to a lack of drivers.

The emergency timetable cuts came after over 1800 trains were cancelled at the last minute over 15 days and just over seven weeks after ScotRail was taken into public ownership by the Scottish Government in what ministers hailed a “historic” move.

ScotRail says the temporary but indefinite timetable has come as a result of the drivers' pay dispute which has meant some refusing to take up the option of working rest days and Sundays, crucial to keep trains running in Scotland.

Unions say the service is run on a six-day per week basis with Sunday not classed as a working day.

Mick Hogg, RMT Scottish regional organiser said of the recruitment issues: "Trying to get anything regarding this from ScotRail is like watching paint dry.

"Why wait five years, because the unions have been seeking Sunday working for decades.

"I think they are putting it off because they don't have the money. For Sunday to become part of the working week, you are talking about more drivers, conductors, ticket examiners and engineers."

He said there was no commitment to apprenticeships since the Dutch state transport firm Abellio operated the ScotRail franchise.

Under Abellio, in the lifetime of the franchise, they would provide ten a year.

The average age of a ScotRail employee is between 52 and 56.

And Mr Hogg said: It won't be long before people start leaving in their droves. And we haven't enough drivers to run the trains. It is an absolute scandal what has happened in relation to not having enough drivers to staff the railway."

The train drivers union had previously told Nicola Sturgeon that a 2.2% pay award at a time when inflation is nearing 10% is a "significant real term pay cut" and "was not credible"

Some union leaders are concerned that the 4.2% pay deal is way below the rate of inflation - and have made no recommendations to staff about whether it is acceptable.

The RMT strike action ballots are not being stopped and it is understood Aslef is still progressing theirs.

Aslef Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay said: "We are letting the members decide on this. It is up to the drivers to say whether this offer is appropriate.

"We will take this to our national executive and ask them to conduct a referendum of members.

"ScotRail claimed we wanted 10%, we never once said that. What we asked for was a substantial increase and terms and conditions.

"Inflation was sitting at 8.2% when the pay deal was being negotiated, they are offering 4.2%. And that was the final offer. We have reached the end of the road, so it is for the membership to decide."

Ministers have confirmed that the vast majority of a new batch of drivers will not be trained up by the end of this year.

Of 130 drivers that are in the mix, 38 drivers were expected to be trained by the end of the summer, rising to 55 by the end of the year and to 100 by June 2023. It is estimated it takes a minimum of 18 months to train up a driver.

As part of the ScotRail deal, the drivers' Sunday working allowance was upped by 10%. It is claimed drivers, who get paid £52,000 a year when fully qualified, currently get £390 for working a rest day.

ScotRail has also said there would be a £500-a-year rise in the driver instructor allowance, a three-year commitment to a no-compulsory redundancy agreement and "improved" maternity and adoption payments.

But bosses of the nationalised train operator have warned passengers that the temporary timetable which slashed services could have to stay in place for up to 10 days even if drivers accept an improved pay deal.

The newly nationalised rail operator said it could take as long as that to restore full services.

However ScotRail service delivery director David Simpson stressed that what happens next depends on drivers.

He said the new deal “recognises the cost of living” but also “recognises the need for more flexibility” in how drivers are rostered.

“What we are trying to do is reach a solution that gets the trains back to normal, restores the timetables, allows ScotRail and the railway to support other keyworkers, other parts of the economy, by running a full timetable as reliably and efficiently as possible over the coming weeks and months," he said.

Mr Hogg of the RMT, which represents the vast majority of the 5000 ScotRail staff include some drivers, said that while it was a "better offer" it "doesn't go anywhere near where our expectations are in terms of inflation and the cost of living rises".

He said: "It is likely to go to a referendum to see if it is acceptable. It is down to the staff to decide on that and we will take it from there."

ScotRail has said it is also looking at how it can amend services on Wednesday, when the Scotland men’s football team take on Ukraine in a crunch qualifier for the World Cup later this year.