UNION activists have launched a protest outside a Glasgow ticket office amid concerns that machines are taking the jobs of people across Scotland due to "ScotRail automation".

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) say proposals have been tabled that threaten 15 jobs across a number of ScotRail travel shops.

The unions say they are preparing ballot members to strike as a result of the plans which they say would involve seeing the number of public-facing ticket office windows cut and effectively threaten the existence of the shops.

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RMT officials, who protested in Glasgow say they are opposed to machines replacing people and argue that cutting ticket office staff will affect the customer experience and that ScotRail should instead be investing in more workers at its travel shops.

The proposed changes are also said to affect staff at shops in Glasgow Queen Street, Aberdeen, Edinburgh Haymarket, Inverness, Stirling and Paisley.

Mick Hogg, RMT regional organiser said: "ScotRail want the travel shops throughout Scotland to become automated, and have a faceless booking office for passengers.

"What we are saying is that this is not on. Disabled people, vulnerable people and older people don't want this automated service.

"They want to deal with people as opposed to machines."

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ScotRail’s head of customer operations Phil Campbell said: “Our proposals are about meeting the changing needs of our customers and the way they choose to pay for their journey.

“ScotRail operates a very clear policy of no compulsory redundancies – everyone who currently has a job will still have one.

“We’re disappointed that the trade unions have not engaged with the clear need to change but instead threaten industrial action." Scotrail has suggested further talks are held.