Update Peace Talks to Halt Rail Strike

CRUNCH talks are to be held tomorrow in a bid to stop further chaos on Scotland’s railways.

The RMT union will meet Network Rail bosses to thrash out an agreement which would avoid a repeat of last week’s crippling two- day stoppage.

The union are threatening two further 48-hour walkouts by 400 Scots signal workers if their demands for a shorter working week are not met.

A spokesman for Network Rail said last night: “The expectation is that we can find a resolution and prevent any further strike going ahead.”

If the negotiations – involving RMT’s Scottish organiser Phil McGarry and Network Rail’s David Simpson – fail there will be a 48- hour strike from noon on Friday to noon on Sunday.

That would be followed by another two-day walkout from noon on Monday, March 19, until noon on March 21.

In the meantime, the RMT’s executive are to ballot 4000 signal workers for a UK-wide strike.

(c) 2007 Sunday Mail; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.