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| Strike ballot for railway workers | Strike ballot for railway workers |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of railway signal workers in Scotland are to be balloted on strike action in a dispute over working hours. | Hundreds of railway signal workers in Scotland are to be balloted on strike action in a dispute over working hours. |
| The Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) accused Network Rail of refusing to hold meetings to resolve the issue. | |
| If the 400 workers vote for strike action it could take place at the end of February, causing disruption for tens of thousands of passengers. | If the 400 workers vote for strike action it could take place at the end of February, causing disruption for tens of thousands of passengers. |
| Network Rail said: "We hope any strike can be averted. Should it go ahead, we will try to ensure minimum disruption." | |
| The union says the company failed to honour a 35-hour week agreement which settled a national dispute last year. | The union says the company failed to honour a 35-hour week agreement which settled a national dispute last year. |
| General secretary Bob Crow said there had been a flood of complaints from his members in Scotland. | General secretary Bob Crow said there had been a flood of complaints from his members in Scotland. |
| Change rosters | Change rosters |
| Mr Crow said: "More than 70% of new rosters have now been agreed across Britain, but in Scotland signallers are not being allowed to bank the hours that should entitle them to six extra rest days a year. | Mr Crow said: "More than 70% of new rosters have now been agreed across Britain, but in Scotland signallers are not being allowed to bank the hours that should entitle them to six extra rest days a year. |
| "Our members are also complaining that there is also widespread abuse of rostering agreements, particularly over the cancellation and rescheduling of safety briefings. | "Our members are also complaining that there is also widespread abuse of rostering agreements, particularly over the cancellation and rescheduling of safety briefings. |
| "It is bad enough that managers are attempting to change agreed rosters unilaterally, but threatening to discipline members who rightly stick to their booked terms is simply unacceptable." | "It is bad enough that managers are attempting to change agreed rosters unilaterally, but threatening to discipline members who rightly stick to their booked terms is simply unacceptable." |
| He said the company had avoided meeting the union to discuss the dispute, which left the RMT with "no choice" but to ballot its members. | He said the company had avoided meeting the union to discuss the dispute, which left the RMT with "no choice" but to ballot its members. |