Transport union RMT has called for a leave vote in the forthcoming EU referendum
to save Caledonian MacBrayne Ferry services from privatisation.
Clyde and Hebrides
Ferry services, which are currently operated in the public sector by Caledonian MacBrayne,
are being put out to tender under EU regulations with Serco bidding to take over
the service.
The Scottish Government has refused calls to announce the winner of
the contact prior to the Scottish Parliament elections and the contract was scheduled
to be awarded at the end of May but not start until October 2016, after the EU referendum
in June.
The ferry tendering timetable was set prior to the EU referendum date being known
and RMT believes it will be untenable for the Scottish Government to complete the
tendering process under EU rules until after the referendum result is known.
Vote to leave the EU to save Cal Mac says RMT
21 April 2016
RMT's general secretary, Mick Cash, said the referendum provides an opportunity to save Cal Mac ferry services from EU directed privatisation.
The Scottish Government continues "to carry out the instructions of the EU but it
is difficult to see how they can conclude the EU driven ferry tendering process prior
to the referendum result.
“If the Scottish Government won’t stand up for Scotland
then the people should stand up to the EU and vote to leave what is now no more than
a corporate cabal run for the benefit of corporations like SERCO who are intent on
fleecing Scotland’s ferries regardless of the consequences for the communities who
rely on them.”
“People should be in on doubt that if Scottish Ferries end up being
privatised the Scottish government will have pulled the trigger and the EU will have
provided the gun.”