
8 July 2021
RMT Press Office:
On the eve of ACAS talks, RMT welcomes support from Scottish MSPs for pay justice for Serco Caledonian Sleeper workers.
On the eve of ACAS talks between RMT and Serco in relation to an ongoing dispute over pay justice for Caledonian Sleeper workers, the Union has welcomed support from MSPs for a Scottish Parliamentary motion which calls on the Scottish Government to intervene in order to find a fair resolution to this dispute.
RMT members employed on the Serco Caledonian Sleeper have already taken a number of days of industrial action in their ongoing fight for pay justice, after being subjected to a pay freeze, despite being key workers who have worked throughout the pandemic.
The motion highlights that ‘under the terms of its Emergency Measures Agreements (EMA) with the Scottish Government, Serco Caledonian Sleeper is able to receive performance and management fees’ and goes on to say that ‘as the Scottish Government is managing the franchise via the EMA, only it has the ability to resolve the dispute’.
With ACAS talks commencing tomorrow, Friday 9th July, RMT believes it is high time the Scottish Government took responsibility for finding a fair resolution to this dispute which recognises the vital contribution made by these essential workers.
General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“RMT welcomes the support from MSPs for finding a fair resolution to Caledonian Sleeper and their recognition that the Scottish Government, which is funding and managing the franchise, is holding the reins.
“The Scottish Government has openly criticised the Westminster Government’s public sector pay freeze, which has been applied to rail workers in England, but yet it has taken the same approach in Scotland. On the one hand it is refusing to fund a pay award for Scotland’s key worker rail staff while at the same time funding management and performance fees under private operator Serco’s Emergency Measures Agreement. This is completely unjust.
“RMT is calling on the Scottish Government to take action to ensure that the ACAS talks commencing tomorrow are productive and to ensure we can reach and a fair and just resolution to this dispute.”
Want to receive updates from us? Subscribe to a mailing list
Tagged with: Caledonian Sleeper, Serco, Pay Justice, Scottish Government
Related News
- Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper staff vote for strike action
- RMT to ballot Scotrail and Caledonian Sleeper for strike action
- Rail Gourmet Eurostar strike action over pay continues
- Caledonian Sleeper staff ballot for strike action
- Rail Gourmet caterers to take 48 hours strike action on TransPennine Express