A PEOPLE’S CALMAC!

25 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march/april 2024 :: RMTnews RMT will be holding a series of local meetings as part of the campaign for affordable, reliable and quality lifeline ferry services in the west of Scotland. The current crisis engulfing Caledonian MacBrayne services, threats of unbundling the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) and generally attacking the very principles of public transport presents a danger to jobs, conditions, services and apprenticeships. CalMac’s current contract expires on September 30 this year and RMT’s policy is for a permanent direct award of the next contract to CalMac. RMT general secretary Mik Lynch has welcomed the fact that a direct award is the SNP government’s preferred option. He also welcomed Scottish Labour’s public support for direct award of the CHFS3 contract to CalMac, to protect public sector jobs, training, services and conditions from an expensive tendering process that would encourage the likes of P&O Ferries and Serco to bid for a £1 billion plus lifeline public sector contract. “Everyone accepts that CalMac needs reform, as well as new vessels and harbour berths but you will never attract the staff to operate these lifeline services when local business interests are hijacking legitimate public concerns to denigrate Scotland’s public ferry company,” he said. The People’s CalMac campaign demands a direct award to CalMac Ferries in order to put communities and passengers before profit. This requires more investment to ensure reliable, frequent and extra lifeline ferry services and fairer ferry fares, including commercial freight. There needs be a stronger voice for communities, passengers and workers as well as more apprenticeships and preservation of trade union agreements which have delivered industry leading terms and conditions of employment. CalMac Ferries is a national asset, employing nearly 2,000 skilled seafarer, port and clerical staff to deliver lifeline services on 29 routes, operating 34 publicly owned ferries from nearly 50 harbours on the Clyde and Hebrides network. Yet the average age of the CalMac fleet is 26 years and cash starved local authorities own nearly half the harbours on the CHFS network. The Scottish government’s vessel and port procurement failures have inflicted a destabilising loss of resilience and capacity over the last six years which is jeopardising the future of public lifeline ferries. “Like the passengers, RMT members at CalMac know full well that privatisation would destroy the stability, quality, safety and employment standards integral to lifeline public transport services. RMT is on a campaign footing to protect our members’ jobs and terms and conditions at CalMac and we welcome public support from passenger groups, local businesses and the trade union movement,” said Mick Lynch. The union is organising meetings in Oban, Brodick and Barra in the Outer Hebrides this Spring as well as a People’s CalMac fringe meeting at the Scottish TUC on Monday April 15, Caird Hall, Dundee at 5.30pm. A PEOPLE’S CALMAC! Union demands publicly owned lifeline ferry services that works for all CAMPAIGN: RMT regional organiser Gordon Martin addresses the People’s Calmac meeting in Oban. RMT Scotland Regional Council president Dan Henderson chaired the meeting.