RAILWAYS in Scotland are set to be badly disrupted in the run-up to Christmas, as members of the RMT prepare to walk out for two days in a dispute over a sacked member of train staff.
Ticket examiner Scott Lewis was dismissed following disciplinary hearings which decided that he had not followed company rules after confronting a passenger over the validity of his ticket earlier this year.
The passenger, Luke Addis, had been travelling from Gourock to Prestwick Airport in March with a free promotional ticket issued by Ryanair. Mr Lewis had refused to accept that the ticket was valid, and was also reported to have jeered at Mr Addis when he became upset.
Mr Addis, 24, has now told the Herald newspaper that had been left feeling 'more like a criminal than a customer', and that Mr Lewis had been 'aggressive'. However he added that he did not want Mr Lewis to lose his job, and that the union was wrong to strike.
'Extremely disappointed' ScotRail said it had 'contingency plans to run as many services as possible over the dates which cover one of the busiest days for last-minute Christmas shopping'.
Daytime trains on 22 and 24 December will be those most affected, but the disruption will also affect Caledonian Sleepers on 21 and 23 December, although ScotRail said it would 'ensure that all Sleeper ticket holders get home for Christmas'.
The operator has accused the RMT of timing the walkouts to extend its members' own holiday breaks, and added: "The union’s last-minute notice ensured that they had protected pre-Christmas pay packets due on 21 December".
It also said it was 'disappointing that the RMT was set to cause as much inconvenience as possible following a ballot in which some 65 per cent of the members did not vote – and, overall, less than one in four supported a strike'.
The RMT is defending its action, accusing ScotRail of failing to produce 'a shred of evidence to prove that Mr Lewis was harassing this passenger or that he failed to comply with correct procedures. Excerpts of CCTV evidence seen by the union do not back the management case one iota and despite requests the company have refused to release the full CCTV tapes to RMT or Scott Lewis'.
The union's general secretary Bob Crow added: "Scott Lewis has been victimised and sacked for trying to help a passenger within the written procedures set out in ScotRail’s own policies. RMT members will not sit back and watch while their colleagues are picked off by a management who think that they can fire staff without a single shred of evidence.
“Scott Lewis has been assaulted on four occasions in the course of his long career with the company and has been commended for his bravery. One assault was so serious the passenger received a jail sentence and on another occasion Scott was viciously assaulted by a gang of youths, sustaining injuries that left him unable to work for a period of time.
"This is a member of staff who had been treated like a punch-bag in the course of his difficult and dangerous job and who has now been sacked for simply complying with company policy and for trying to protect the revenue streams that enable First ScotRail to generate substantial profits. It is no wonder workers across the company are so angry."
Other industrial disputes are also threatening holiday train services. Onboard staff at CrossCountry trains are set to strike on Friday after the RMT alleged that there had been a 'complete breakdown of industrial relations', while London Underground drivers have been voting in an RMT dispute over working on Boxing Day.