New Rangers Strikers
The fair city of Glasgow was rife with rumours last night about the signing of some major new strikers - for Rangers Football Club.
But it turns out that someone had just mis-read the following item from the BBC Scotland web site - which tells the bizarre story of a 'Rangers' strike ballot in the train drivers' union - ASLEF.
I can say - hand on heart - that I've never heard such nonsense in my life.
Because to ask hard working union members to go on strike - over some clown deliberately lying to his employer in order to go to a football game - is completely ridiculous.
Most folk will think the chap is lucky to be in his job - never mind just being demoted and disciplined.
So I await with interest the outcome of this ASLEF ballot - but to my mind anyone voting to go on strike over this business - needs their head examined.
The world will think Scotland's gone mad.
Train strike ballot over driver's 'sickie' to watch Rangers
The ScotRail driver called in sick while he was watching Rangers in Germany Train drivers are being balloted on strike action in support of a colleague who was disciplined for going to a football match after calling in sick.
The driver was demoted after ScotRail bosses discovered he had been in Germany watching Rangers.
He was subsequently demoted, a punishment which the union say resulted in a pay cut of almost £20,000.
ScotRail said the driver's actions were "unacceptable" and that possible strike action was "deeply disappointing".
The 47-year-old driver called in sick in November while he was in Hamburg watching a friendly match.
Aslef said the demotion was completely unjust and is preparing to ballot 1,100 members at ScotRail on whether to take industrial action in support of the driver.
Aslef's Scottish Secretary Kevin Lindsay told BBC Scotland: "This is the first mistake he has made in 21 years. He's paid a very heavy punishment for this and we think this is excessive by ScotRail.
"We are asking ScotRail to reconsider that decision. Failing to do so, the Aslef membership will get the opportunity to decide whether they believe ScotRail was correct or their own member was."
A ScotRail spokesman said: "The driver's deliberate failure to attend work meant trains were cancelled. That is unacceptable - to our customers, who want a reliable service, and to the company.
