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Title	Scottish rail and refuse workers vote to strike during COP26
Author	cubemackie
Body	[https://www.ft.com/content/fc9da37d-0c73-43c5-9ee3-6665f8bd6721](https://www.ft.com/content/fc9da37d-0c73-43c5-9ee3-6665f8bd6721) Paywall so here it is: Scottish railway workers and refuse collectors have voted to back potentially highly disruptive strike action during the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, in a major escalation of long-festering pay disputes. The threat by the RMT transport workers union to halt all train services within Scotland from November 1-12 could throw into chaos the already challenging logistics surrounding an international meeting aimed at accelerating efforts to combat global warming. Separate planned action by refuse collectors raises the spectre of piles of rubbish in the streets of Glasgow just as the eyes of the world turn to Scotland’s second-largest city. The RMT rail union said on Thursday that a ballot of more than 2,000 members had backed plans to strike, with 84 per cent in favour of the action over what it says is a refusal by Scottish railway operator ScotRail and government agency Transport Scotland to negotiate an acceptable pay increase. Michael Hogg, RMT regional organiser for Scotland, said the planned strike action would affect all trains operated by the national rail operator ScotRail, including those from Glasgow to Edinburgh and other Scottish cities expected to be used by many COP26 participants. “We have obviously deliberately targeted COP26 so common sense can actually prevail,” Hogg told BBC Radio Scotland. “If no solution is forthcoming, then no trains will run.” RMT members working on the Caledonian Sleeper service, which runs between London and Scottish cities, also plan to strike during part of COP26 over a pay dispute with the service operator Serco. The GMB union said separately that 97 per cent of votes in a ballot of refuse workers had backed industrial action over the latest pay offer from Scottish local governments. “Unless there is an improved offer on Monday we will be taking action in Glasgow during COP26,” the union said. The strike threats highlight increasing pressure for substantial pay increases, particularly among workers who were on the frontline of public services during the coronavirus crisis but have not seen salary increases to match those announced for NHS staff. Chris Mitchell, a GMB organiser, said it was sending a message to the Scottish government. “This is when low-paid workers make a stand . . . and say enough is enough. These heroes here deserve a pay rise.” Any disruption to public services during COP26 — which starts on October 31 and ends on November 12 — could be hugely embarrassing for Glasgow and the Scottish government, as well as for the UK government, the summit’s official host. ScotRail, which is under franchise to Dutch railway operator Abellio until next year, said it was assessing the potential impact of the strike on services. “It’s extremely disappointing that the RMT have opted to continue with this highly damaging strike action — particularly when a pay offer, negotiated over several weeks, has been made to the trade unions,” ScotRail said. sked about the strike threat, COP26 organisers said they were working with a wide range of stakeholders on transport arrangements for the gathering. Transport Scotland, the Scottish government agency, said a new pay offer had been made by rail worker employers since the strike ballot opened and it understood members would be balloted again. “We hope that RMT members and the other unions will agree and accept this offer,” the agency said. About 25,000 people are expected to attend COP26, with many staying in Edinburgh as almost all Glasgow hotels are full. UK organisers of the event have been scrambling on logist
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/q8bddm/scottish_rail_and_refuse_workers_vote_to_strike/
Created	Fri 15th Oct 2021 12:25am
Status	normal (Removed by [])

[https://www.ft.com/content/fc9da37d-0c73-43c5-9ee3-6665f8bd6721](https://www.ft.com/content/fc9da37d-0c73-43c5-9ee3-6665f8bd6721)

Paywall so here it is:

Scottish railway workers and refuse collectors have voted to back potentially highly disruptive strike action during the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, in a major escalation of long-festering pay disputes.

The threat by the RMT transport workers union to halt all train services within Scotland from November 1-12 could throw into chaos the already challenging logistics surrounding an international meeting aimed at accelerating efforts to combat global warming.

Separate planned action by refuse collectors raises the spectre of piles of rubbish in the streets of Glasgow just as the eyes of the world turn to Scotland’s second-largest city. The RMT rail union said on Thursday that a ballot of more than 2,000 members had backed plans to strike, with 84 per cent in favour of the action over what it says is a refusal by Scottish railway operator ScotRail and government agency Transport Scotland to negotiate an acceptable pay increase.

Michael Hogg, RMT regional organiser for Scotland, said the planned strike action would affect all trains operated by the national rail operator ScotRail, including those from Glasgow to Edinburgh and other Scottish cities expected to be used by many COP26 participants.

“We have obviously deliberately targeted COP26 so common sense can actually prevail,” Hogg told BBC Radio Scotland. “If no solution is forthcoming, then no trains will run.”

RMT members working on the Caledonian Sleeper service, which runs between London and Scottish cities, also plan to strike during part of COP26 over a pay dispute with the service operator Serco.

The GMB union said separately that 97 per cent of votes in a ballot of refuse workers had backed industrial action over the latest pay offer from Scottish local governments.

“Unless there is an improved offer on Monday we will be taking action in Glasgow during COP26,” the union said. The strike threats highlight increasing pressure for substantial pay increases, particularly among workers who were on the frontline of public services during the coronavirus crisis but have not seen salary increases to match those announced for NHS staff.

Chris Mitchell, a GMB organiser, said it was sending a message to the Scottish government. “This is when low-paid workers make a stand . . . and say enough is enough. These heroes here deserve a pay rise.”

Any disruption to public services during COP26 — which starts on October 31 and ends on November 12 — could be hugely embarrassing for Glasgow and the Scottish government, as well as for the UK government, the summit’s official host. ScotRail, which is under franchise to Dutch railway operator Abellio until next year, said it was assessing the potential impact of the strike on services.

“It’s extremely disappointing that the RMT have opted to continue with this highly damaging strike action — particularly when a pay offer, negotiated over several weeks, has been made to the trade unions,” ScotRail said.

sked about the strike threat, COP26 organisers said they were working with a wide range of stakeholders on transport arrangements for the gathering.

Transport Scotland, the Scottish government agency, said a new pay offer had been made by rail worker employers since the strike ballot opened and it understood members would be balloted again. “We hope that RMT members and the other unions will agree and accept this offer,” the agency said.

About 25,000 people are expected to attend COP26, with many staying in Edinburgh as almost all Glasgow hotels are full. UK organisers of the event have been scrambling on logist