by Keith Richmond
The RMT is turning up the heat on Scotrail over the privatised rail company’s attempt to introduce more driver-only trains. Legal opinion obtained by the union is that an agreement from 2001 commiting Scotrail not to extend driver-only operations remains in force. Angus McPherson of Drummond Miller has advised the union that First Group is wrong in law to argue that it is not bound by an agreement the union made with the previous franchisee National Express. He said the agreement is clearly protected by the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment regulations.
The union has also published a letter from Mary Dickson, Scotrail’s MD in 2004, which says: “I can give you an assurance that First Scotrail will not, during the current franchise, be removing conductors from any of the services on which they are now present.”
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Scotrail is attempting to rip up agreements which date back to 2001 for the sake of saving £300,000 which is the cost of keeping guards in place on the Airdrie-Bathgate line. It’s a small amount to pay for passenger and staff safety and is a tiny fraction of the £18 million First Group paid its shareholders in dividends last year.”
