However, the former has expressed its anger that the move has brought its members into the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy, which it says was done without agreement with the union.
The current pay policy envisions uplifts in pay of 3% in each of the next three years, which Holyrood says is a combined raise of 9.3%, compared to forecast CPI inflation of 5.7%.
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Any employer that does not agree a three-year pay deal will be restricted to a maximum 3% pay uplift for 2025-26, while those agreeing to three years will be allowed to configure three-year proposals within the 9%.
ASLEF has accused the Scottish Government of “cherry-picking” over which issues it wishes to involve itself in, citing the example of toilet facilities for drivers being designated a matter for train operation companies as employers.
In an open letter to transport secretary Fiona Hyslop, ASLEF Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay said: “Re-nationalising ScotRail was, as you know, welcomed by ASLEF. We campaigned long and hard to end profiteering in our railways and were very supportive of your decision to bring ScotRail back into public ownership.
“However, it is extremely disappointing and unfortunate that you have used nationalisation as an instrument to attempt to undermine our union and our ability to freely negotiate for our members without constraint and on the basis of the specific context of the Scottish rail industry.
“It really does seem like your government wants to have your cake and eat it.
“We want to be straight with you. We will enter the forthcoming pay negotiations in good faith as we always do. But in so doing we will not be hamstrung by your attempt to artificially game the parameters of those negotiations and we will be prepared to do whatever is necessary to achieve the outcomes that we think are fair and just for our members.”
Negotiations with the union will take place ahead of the settlement date of April 1, and follow last year’s disruption due to a failure to find an agreement.
A reduced service ran on ScotRail from July to September after drivers exercised their right to work only their contracted hours and take no overtime.
They eventually secured a 4.5% pay rise, backdated to April.
Mr Lindsay said: “We are frustrated and angry that the government has attempted to use the nationalisation of ScotRail as a fig leaf to undermine our unions ability to freely negotiate with ScotRail on behalf of our members.
“In including ScotRail Trains as part of the Scottish Government’s public sector pay policy without meaningful discussion, negotiation and, critically, agreement with ASLEF they have deliberately sought to undermine our union.
“Despite this we have written to the Transport Secretary to remind her that in the forthcoming pay talks we will negotiate, as always, in good faith.
“However, we have been clear that we will not be constrained by the artificial parameters set by the government and that we will do whatever is necessary to achieve the outcomes we believe are fair and just for our members.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.