7 April 2005

Union rejects Subway pay deal

Members of the Transport & General Workers Union today (Thursday 7 April) rejected a new pay and conditions package, designed to end the ongoing dispute on Glasgow's Subway, and decided to escalate their industrial action.

Strathclyde Passenger Transport had made a final, improved pay offer which would have seen Subway Drivers, Station Masters and Station Assistants receive an immediate 7.9% increase, subject to the acceptance of new terms and conditions.

A further 1.5% increase would have been payable when new rosters were adopted with an additional 1% productivity and flexibility payment for 2006/07 on top of any cost of living rise.

Douglas Ferguson, SPT's Director of Operations, said, "We are very disappointed that this generous pay offer has been rejected. We have said all along that there is no new money available. This pay deal would have been paid for through improvements in productivity and flexibility. That has not changed. The renewed industrial action will simply eat into the money available to fund any future pay award. Our door is open and we would urge the TGWU to return to the negotiating table."

The new industrial action will take the form of discontinuous strike action consisting of stoppages on the following days:

• Friday 15 and Saturday 16 April
• Friday 22, Saturday 23, Sunday 24 and Monday 25 April and every second week afterwards following the same Friday to Monday pattern (four day strike every fortnight).

ends

Notes to editors

The offer rejected by the TGWU breaks down as follows:

• 2.95% backdated to 1 April 2004.
• 2.95 % for 2005/06.
• a 2% productivity and flexibility increase payable from 1 April 2005.
• 1.5% when the new rosters come into force.
• an additional 1% productivity and flexibility increase for 2006/07 over and above any cost of living increase.