RAIL travel to and from Scotland was affected yesterday as rail workers took part in a 24-hour walkout.
Members of two unions called industrial action yesterday, with Virgin Trains West Coast suspending services to and from Edinburgh as a result of the decision by onboard ticket inspectors, catering crew and station staff to strike.
Services from Edinburgh to Carlisle, north-west England and Birmingham are cancelled, but those between Edinburgh and London are unaffected.
The RMT and TSSA unions staged the action as part of a dispute over pay and staffing, with another planned for next Friday and four more to follow in January.
Perth-based transport giant Stagecoach has a 49 per cent shareholding in Virgin Rail Group, which operates the West Coast Trains franchise. Phil Whittingham, managing director for Virgin Trains on the west coast, accused RMT leaders of trying to cause disruption when many are travelling “to spend time with loved ones”.
He said staff had been offered a “generous” pay rise of 3.6 per cent, but that this had been rejected by unions seeking four per cent.
Apologising to passengers for disruption, Whittingham said: “We remain open to talks with the RMT and TSSA, and urge them to call off these strikes which will cost their members pay for no gain.”
RMT leader Mick Cash said: “Virgin is a wealthy outfit and there is no excuse whatsoever for Sir Richard Branson to undervalue and discriminate against the very same staff whose hard work finances his luxury lifestyle. Virgin should stop trying to play divide and rule and should address the fundamental issue of workplace equality which is at the heart of this dispute.”
Manuel Cortes of TSSA said the company had set increases at different levels for drivers, adding: “Our members believe that they too should deserve a little more.”
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