TRADE unions have argued that ScotRail’s dire financial situation “underscores the pressing need for Scotland’s railways to be in public hands” as Unite members prepare for industrial action following the breakdown of pay talks. 

TSSA said today that the pre-tax loss of nearly £65 million experienced by ScotRail last year showed the need to nationalise Scotland’s rail infrastructure. 

Abellio, which currently holds the franchise, blamed its poor financial performance on the pandemic. The Dutch firm’s tenure is due to finish at the end of next March, when Scotland’s train services will be taken over by a public-sector body. 

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said that the move “can’t come soon enough. No-one will seek to argue that the pandemic has not hit our railways very hard, but Abellio need to live in the real world. 

“Privatisation has been an abject failure year on year across Scotland’s railways, as it has been elsewhere in these islands.  

“The failed Tory experiment of privatisation on our railways is over. What Covid-19 has taught us is that the public services we all rely on are too precious to be hived off to privateers.”

ScotRail said that this was not a matter for the company to comment on, while Transport Scotland pointed to a statement by Transport Secretary Michael Matheson earlier this year announcing the plan for public ownership. 

The calls coincided with the Unite union announcing its intention to take industrial action following a ballot of members after the collapse of pay talks with the train operator.

Members supported industrial action by 75 per cent and action short of strike by 90 per cent, with the union alleging that the company is withdrawing a number of entitlements from workers including rest-day agreements. 

Unite industrial officer Pat McIlvogue said: “This should be a wake-up call to Abellio Scotrail management that Unite’s members will no longer tolerate being treated unacceptably. 

“If Abellio Scotrail refuses to positively engage with us, then we will have no option but to move forward with an industrial action campaign.”

RMT members on ScotRail staged a third day of strike action on Sunday. 

Rail conductors are fighting for equality and workplace justice over enhanced payments for rest-day working, with their industrial action receiving solidly support in recent weeks‎.