No train services in Perth and Kinross on Saturday due to further rail strikes over pay and working conditions

Strike action by workers across sectors in Perth in Kinross are set to hit the county in the coming days.

No trains will run in the region once more on Saturday (October 29) due to another round of 24-hour walkouts over an ongoing pay and working conditions dispute.

It means the only services available in Scotland will be on three routes linking Milngavie with Glasgow and Edinburgh, and connecting Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.

It’s the second day of strike action by ScotRail general grades RMT union members, following industrial action on October 10, and is a result of the trade union’s latest rejection of an improved pay offer made by the nationalised rail operator yesterday (October 27).

According to ScotRail, the offer would have seen the lowest paid staff receive a basic pay increase of almost 7.5 per cent.

ScotRail proposed consolidating the one-off technology payment into basic pay on top of the five per cent already offered, worth £500 per member for all general grade staff (pro-rata).

More than 2000 ScotRail employees are members of the RMT, including 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.

It means sports fans in Perth and Kinross looking to attend Scotland’s first autumn international match against Australia at Murrayfield have been forced to find alternative travel arrangements.

Following this, Network Rail members of the RMT trade union will also take part in 24-hour strike action on November 3, 5, and 7.

This dispute does not involve ScotRail staff, however it will have a major knock-on effect on the train operator’s ability to provide services as the RMT planned action will involve Network Rail staff in Scotland.

A ScotRail spokesperson said is now assessing the impact this will have its services and says it will updated customer as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, strike action planned by NHS Tayside and nationwide medical staff has been suspended for the time being following a new pay offer.

UNISON will ask members if they are willing to accept the Scottish Government’s £2205 flat rate rise in a consultative digital ballot early next week.

The flat rate pay offer is to all NHS staff on ‘Agenda for Change’ pay grades – effective from April 1, 2022.

Wilma Brown, chair of the UNISON Scotland health committee, said: “After our meeting this afternoon UNISON has agreed to suspend its NHS strike ballot so we can consult NHS members over the Scottish government £2205 pay offer to all NHS staff.

“This is a final pay offer from the Scottish government, it is also significantly different from the previous offers, so we think it is right that NHS members decide whether they are willing to accept it. UNISON is a member led union, so members will decide.”

Royal Mail workers in Perth and Kinross are set to join colleagues across the country in continuing with their 19 days of industrial action that began on October 13 in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions.

Members nationwide who collect, sort, distribute and deliver parcels and letters will take strike action on November 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10.

Communication Workers Union (CWU) says the national mail giant is asking postal workers to trade terms and conditions for a pay rise.