June 2024
Debate on West Coast Ferry Disruption and Replacement Background The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) is the largest trade union in the Scottish ferries industry. Our members are employed on the fleet of 40 CMAL owned vessels and in the harbours that provide the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles ferry services under public contract with Transport Scotland, and on Orkney Ferries inter-island fleet of ageing ships. RMT organise 900 seafarers and shore side staff who work to deliver public ferry contracts in Scotland. We also organise seafarer Ratings on services operated between Cairnryan and Belfast by the private operator Stena Line. The Scottish Conservatives have secured cross-party for motion S6M-13505 1 which will be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 20 th June. Key Points
1
The motion ignores the role of staff in delivering lifeline ferry services in the west of Scotland which have been compromised by the procurement failures of the Scottish Government. The loss of services, resilience and reliability of the ferry services to Arran and across the CHFS network, not the RMT members or the public sector operator who are working harder and harder to provide lifeline services in these difficult circumstances. Transport Scotland must improve the process for agreeing crewing levels and cabin space between CalMac and the trade unions, particularly on the Glen Sannox and the long term position of Ardrossan on the network must be secured by bringing the harbour into public ownership. Using the 12-month extension to CalMac’s current contract to make a legally compliant long term direct award of the CHFS3 contract to the public sector, in line with RMT’s People’s CalMac campaign would better meet the needs of island communities across the CHFS network. Every lost service is a failure. RMT support reforms that would improve communication with passengers but the uncertainty, threat to jobs and excess cost that comes from regular tendering of public ferry contracts must be ended.
https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S6M-13505