THE RMT is preparing for all its signallers in Scotland to take industrial action in a dispute over the negotiation of rosters.

A local strike has also been announced for the end of this week. with signallers at Stirling Middle, Stirling North and Dunblane boxes set to walk out for 24 hours on Saturday.

There have already been several strikes over the issue in the Stirling area, but the RMT now claims that Network Rail is in 'clear breach' of a national agreement which allows union representatives to negotiate shifts lasting between six and 12 hours. Network Rail said it had made 'every effort' to end the dispute.

The union said a verbal agreement had been given that if its members voted in favour of 12 hour rosters then they would be granted. A ballot was conducted with a vote of 19 to 1 in favour, 'only for that result to be ignored by the management side'.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Despite RMT making every possible effort to resolve this dispute through negotiation we have met with nothing but a brick wall and broken promises from management and as a result we now have no option but to move to a strike ballot across Scotland."

Network Rail is opposed to 12-hour shifts, which mean signallers work fewer days each week, on the grounds that they add to costs.

A spokesman for the company said: "Meeting the union's demand that signallers begin to work fewer days each week would mean operating a less efficient and more expensive railway.

"We have made every effort to resolve this dispute, including the involvement of Acas.

"We have conducted detailed analysis of shift patterns, but cannot see how they can be changed without increasing operating costs by around £40,000 a year."