SCOTRAIL customers have been warned of a indefinite disruption to train services from Friday as thousands of workers embark on an overtime ban.
They say an unspecified number of cancellations are expected on a daily basis.
Late warning of cancellations are expected as trade union members follow an instruction from the RMT not to work any overtime.
The ban on overtime and rest day working is part of action short of a strike from the RMT and follows the 24-hour strike action on Monday resulting from a pay dispute with ScotRail.
It is understood that notice will be served on ScotRail on Friday of further 24-hour strikes, to “up the anti”.
The RMT rejected ScotRail’s latest improved pay offer which had been tabled in a bid to resolve the dispute and avert strike action.
The strike is separate from a dispute by Network Rail staff who maintain the infrastructure, such as tracks and signalling that has also resulted in several days of strike action in recent months.
The latest ScotRail turmoil comes two months after train drivers accepted a pay deal which effectively ended the pay dispute which led to an emergency timetable and major cuts to ScotRail services for nearly two months.
Members of the train drivers union Aslef voted to accept an improved offer from nationalised ScotRail which amounted to up to 10% extra in pay packets in a year.
A 5% pay deal came with a performance bonus scheme which would take the wage rise to nearer 10%.
The union's executive commitee had previously rejected a 4.2% pay offer in the midst of threatened strike action.
ScotRail’s offer to other workers includes a five per cent basic pay increase, a six-year job guarantee, a £500 one-off payment for the use of technology such as mobile phones, and improved maternity leave conditions.
ScotRail also put forward a further £390 payment and enhanced commission for frontline teams.
Over 2,000 of ScotRail’s employees are members of the RMT, including in roles such as conductors, ticket examiners, hospitality, station staff, engineering depot staff, train presentation, supervisors, resource co-ordinators, and CCTV operators – though not all employees in these roles are trade union members.
ScotRail said: "The action short of a strike will see some daily cancellations, as the operation of ScotRail services requires rest day working and overtime as recruitment continues.
"ScotRail is urging the RMT to put the latest pay offer to its members in a referendum."
Phil Campbell, ScotRail head of customer perations, said: “We are really disappointed with this additional industrial action, which will again impact on our customers, following the strike action earlier in the week.
“The ban on overtime does nothing for the railway’s recovery during this challenging time, and in addition to the impact on those travelling, it will further cost our staff with lost income.
“We do rely on staff working overtime in various parts of the business as we actively recruit to fill vacancies, and unfortunately there will be some daily cancellations starting from Friday, 14 October, and throughout the period of the RMT’s ban.
“We will do everything we can to minimise the impact on customers, however, there will be some disruption. We advise customers to check their journey before they travel, particularly in the morning before they start their day.
“We are continuing to meet with RMT representatives to resolve this dispute.”
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