ScotRail drivers have suspended their strike plans after receiving a fresh pay offer. However, the reduced train service is still to go on. The train drivers’ union, Aslef, withdrew its ballot for industrial action, urging members to accept the new deal. A decision will now be taken by the members shortly

ScotRail train drivers were all set to go on strike, but those plans are now on hold after the company has offered a new pay rise. Do not expect your daily commute to get back to normal yet, though. Even though the strikes are called off, the reduced train schedule that was put in place will remain in effect for the time being.

Aslef, the trade union made up of train drivers, has taken a new position on plans for industrial action. They had prepared to launch a new action after a long pay dispute, but recent discussions between the union and ScotRail resulted in another new deal being tabled. Both sides said these were “constructive” discussions, which means headway was made and a potential solution is now on the table.

Aslef member of the executive committee Jim Baxter said the negotiating team had accepted ScotRail’s latest offer. “We have now withdrawn our ballot for industrial action,” he said. “A referendum of our members on the offer will now be held.” Effectively this will see the union cancel the strike action and instead ask its members whether they agree to the new pay deal. The final decision about further strikes will be reached after the ballot finishes on September 25.

ScotRail has so far been running a reduced number of trains since July, when many drivers decided not to work extra shifts on Sundays and not to do overtime as part of the pay dispute. That cut around 600 train services from the schedule and left only 1,660 trains running between Monday and Saturday. These cuts were most evident during peak times, such as the morning and late afternoon periods, when the trains were cut from a four-an-hour to a two-an-hour basis.

It is not the first challenge for ScotRail. Only last summer, in 2022, train guards waged a bitter dispute with the company, with strikes and an overtime ban across Scotland’s rail network.

Details of the new pay offer have not been disclosed, but it is believed that all staff could receive a pay increase of 4.5%, backdated to this April. The raise would count, therefore, as if it had started from earlier on in the year. ScotRail feels that this is a good offer as it stands, to recognize the hard work of its employees, at a time when the economy is very tight.

But it is not just the Aslef union. Its sister union, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union representing ScotRail staff, will also conduct a separate ballot on the proposed pay deal. Its members had also voted in favor of the previous strike action, but their plans are now on hold after the new terms were agreed in principle by the union’s negotiators.

Another union, TSSA – which looks after some 500 members working in managerial and technical roles at ScotRail, around two-thirds of whom also had an overwhelmingly positive response from their membership to industrial action. Their ballot on an earlier pay deal had just closed on Friday, showing a clear appetite for action, but since then, they have received what they called a “reasonable pay offer” from ScotRail making them reconsider.

A TSSA union spokeswoman even praised the offer: “We will act in good faith on that offer. TSSA is a democratic trade union, and all decisions ultimately rest with our members.” Actual members of the union should ultimately decide whether to say “yes” or “no” to the new deal.

The service delivery director at ScotRail, Mark Ilderton, also expressed his relief about the progress that has been made. “We’re pleased that we’ve been able to reach this position,” he said. “Discussions with trade union colleagues have been very positive, and this is great progress with Aslef now removing the ballot for industrial action and progressing to a member referendum on the pay offer,” he said. He added that, in a year of hardship for colleagues, he recognized how hard they had been working, and he was acutely aware of the financial pressure on families across Scotland.

In addition to threatening the ScotRail services, the potential strike action had also included the Caledonian Sleeper services, the overnight trains between Scotland and England. The union had also stated a strike for these services, although that will not take place for now.

And while the strike may now be on hold, things are far from fully settled. Reduced train services will continue until a final agreement is signed, all hanging on how union members vote on whether to accept the new pay offer. Commuters via rail in Scotland will have to wait and see if their travels return to normal. Until then, patience will be key as the train service remains limited.