UNION chiefs have admitted a 48-hour overtime ban starting today and a 24-hour strike on Friday will have a “significant impact” on Scotland’s lifeline ferry services and cause considerable disruption to holidaymakers visiting the islands.
Industrial action will go ahead after last-minute talks between the RMT and the Scottish Government broke down on Monday when they failed to reach an agreement on job security, conditions and pensions.
The Scottish Government held a second resilience team meeting yesterday in a bid to come up with a contingency plan and urged the RMT to call off the action.
Ministers have contacted bus, rail and aviation operators to put on additional services in an effort to “help mitigate the impact” on Caledonian MacBrayne’s Clyde and Hebrides ferries.
RMT regional organiser Gordon Martin said that ferry workers voted overwhelmingly for industrial action but the decision was a tough one because many of them live on the islands that will be the hardest hit.
Martin explained: “Overtime varies month to month but it will have a significant impact. It could be as much as two weeks at a time because our members work week on, week off on some routes, two weeks on and two weeks off on others. These are called call-backs.
“In other words, this means the workers are asked to go back to work to fill a vacancy, sickness or annual leave.
“In this instance, with the 48 hours, it could have a significant impact across the network. It could potentially stop ferries from running.
“Our members have been balloted on action short of strike, which is overtime and call-backs. The company have known for over a week that was the action we were putting on so we have complied fully with the legislation.
“What people need to bear in mind here is that a lot of our members live on these islands and the last thing they want to do is cause any detriment whatsoever to their own community, but they feel that strongly about the way they are being treated and the guarantees not forthcoming from their current employer on their pension, job security and terms and conditions going forward.
“They have voted over 90 per cent for strike action and almost 100 per cent [98 per cent] to take action short of a strike so people don’t vote for these things lightly, especially when it has such an impact on their lives and their own communities.
“On Friday, there will be a strike, which means that none of the RMT workers are expected to work, which is 700 members.”
Last night, CalMac was predicting that the majority of services would run on Wednesday and Thursday. However, they expect disruption on Friday, when families head off on holiday after many of the schools close, with major vessel routes serving the Western Isles, Mull, Islay, Bute, Arran, Coll and Tiree expected to be severely affected, and only supported by smaller vessels in most cases.
The ferry operator was busy contacting customers yesterday and updating its website to highlight the likely disruption on Friday.
CalMac has also been liaising with hauliers, coach operators and local tourist bodies to put the dispute into context and raise awareness of alternative options that are available.
Talks were also taking place with VisitScotland, the Scottish Tourism Alliance and Scottish Government officials to discuss what more can be done to bolster consumer confidence for the future and also to raise awareness that the areas affected remain open for business during any action.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who chaired the second resilience meeting in two days, said: “We are all working together to try and minimise the impact of this industrial action at a crucial time for the islands’ economies that are served by these lifeline services.”
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said he had already given assurances that a “fair, affordable and sustainable pension scheme” would be protected under the new Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, and that EU law required the Scottish Government to tender ferry services.
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