Union boss Mick Lynch slams 'chaotic' services and calls for 'people's CalMac'
Mr Lynch has called for an urgent meeting with new transport minister Fiona Hyslop
Last updated 14th Jun 2023
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch hit out at the "chaotic way" ferry services in Scotland are being run as he called for a "people's CalMac" to be created.
While the ferry operator is already state owned, Mr Lynch demanded assurances from the Scottish Government that lifeline services on Scotland's west coast would stay in public hands.
He called for an urgent meeting with new transport minister Fiona Hyslop, as he insisted that CalMac and CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets) - the body which owns the ferries and harbour infrastructure - should be brought together into a single organisation.
Providing this "coherent structure" would allow for a service that "responds to need and doesn't respond to profit", Mr Lynch said.
READ MORE: A thousand Isle of Arran sailings cancelled
Calls for the service to be kept in public ownership
With CalMac's contract for the services due to come to an end in September 2024, Mr Lynch said ministers should not go out to tender, and should instead keep services with the state-owned firm.
The RMT general secretary stressed the need for the service to be "kept in public ownership and in the hands of the community".
Speaking to reporters, Mr Lynch said: "We want to make sure the Scottish Government doesn't re-tender, which they could be tempted to do and they haven't given us any reassurances that they won't put it out to a private company such as Serco, P&O or whoever."
Mr Lynch, who was at Holyrood to address a meeting of MSPs, claimed there had been failure by Scottish ministers to "invest properly over many decades" in the CalMac fleet - with the resulting problems of the aging fleet leading to disruption for island communities.
READ MORE: Soaring repair bills for old ferries
He said this was a "question of competence", but blamed "ministers and Transport Scotland" rather than the island communities or CalMac crews.
Mr Lynch added: "Many of our people are on these islands and are subject to the chaotic way these services are being run, which causes everyone disruption.
"We've got this disjointed approach between CalMac the operator, and Cmal the infrastructure and procurement body, but also Transport Scotland is in the mix and, of course, the politicians are in the mix as well as Government officials.
"We've got to have clarity and work our way though that and get a coherent structure which we believe would be a single entity in public ownership that responds to need and doesn't respond to profit.
"The other way, to put this out to tender, would be a disaster. We have seen this on the railways, we have seen it in many aspects of public provision.
Some island communities have already suffered disruption and route cancellations this year, as CalMac waits for six new ferries to be built to bolster its aging fleet.
They include two ferries currently being constructed at at the Ferguson marine shipyard in Port Glasgow, which are years late and are set to cost over three times the original budget.
READ MORE: Overdue Ferguson ferry - cheaper to start again?
CalMac's ageing fleet
MV Glen Sannox launch
Perhaps the most infamous ferry in Scotland, MV Glen Sannox was launched by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, at the Ferguson Marine yard in Port Glasgow in November 2017. The yard won the contract to build two ferries which could be powered by either regular marine diesel fuel or LNG. Five years later the ship has yet to enter service and the yard has been nationalised after falling into administration amid a row with the Scottish Government about the delays and escalating cost of the project.
MV Glen Sannox delays
MV Glen Sannox is intended to become the main ferry for the service between Ardrossan and Brodick on the Isle of Arran. A sister ship - as-yet unnamed - will operate in the Western Isles. The vessels are more than five years late and will cost £250m - more than twice their original budget. The ship has required extensive remedial work including alterations to the hull and replacement of the original electrictal cables which were found to be too short. It is expected to be in service in summer 2023.
Busiest route
CalMac's busiest route is the crossing between Largs and Cumbrae Slip in the Firth of Clyde, which in summer operates every 15 minutes, although drivers can be forced to wait in queues of more than an hour at the busiest times. In 2021 it carried 175,000 vehicles and 619,000 passengers.
Oldest vessel
CalMac's least-busy route is a summer-only service between Ardrossan and Campbeltown in Kintrye, which carried just 8,427 passengers in 2021. It is operated by the firm's oldest ship, MV Isle of Arran, which was launched in Troon in 1983.
Passengers only
CalMac operates the passenger-only service between Dunoon and Gourock. For many years the route also carried vehicles but there was long-standing controversy with claims of unfair public subsidy against a rival private operator. The service can be vulnerable to poor weather conditions relying on lighter vessels such as the catamaran Ali Cat.
Battery power
For the last decade CalMac has made the first moves to reduce the carbon emissions of its fleet with the introduction of three hybrid ferries which can operate on battery or diesel power. They were constructed at the Ferguson yard in Port Glasgow and operate some of the shortest crossings on the network
Private rival
There are ferry services which are not run by CalMac. The privately-owned Western Ferries operates between McInroy's Point (near Gourock) and Hunter's Quay (near Dunoon) on a turn-up-and-go service using up to four vessels at one time.
Foreign-built ships
Until the recent Ferguson scandal CalMac's newest and largest ships had been built by foreign yards, including the MV Finglaggan, launched by the Remontowa yard in Poland in 2010 to serve Islay.
Capacity issues
Since 2016 The introduction of the cheaper RET fares structure - linked to the cost to drive the same distance by road - and increasing popularlity of 'staycation' and campervan touring - is linked to increasing pressure on routes to the most popular islands, with sailings booked-up weeks in advance.
Mr Lynch said: "The last thing that communities and workers need is for the Scottish Government to launch a bidding war for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract which could encourage companies like P&O and Serco to enter a race to the bottom.
"People relying on lifeline ferries need certainty over jobs, training and services.
"And the Scottish Government must work with stakeholders to stave off a full-blown ferry crisis in lifeline communities and to implement a long-term plan for the future of these critically important public services."
Mr Lynch continued: "We do not believe there is any legal requirement for the Scottish Government to be compelled to re-tender the Clyde and Hebrides ferry contract.
"The Scottish Government needs to commit to a permanently publicly owned people's CalMac with proper investment and the exclusion of private profit.
"This would allow for successful long-term planning for improved services and resilience with a direct voice for CalMac workers and passengers."
Transport Scotland response
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: "The current Clyde and Hebrides Ferries Services contract is due to expire in September 2024 and we are currently considering the most appropriate route for continuity of services.
"We will continue to review all options in order to deliver safe and sustainable ferry services to island and remote rural communities while achieving value for money.
"No decision on the detailed requirements of the future arrangements has been taken at this point, but we will work with key stakeholders, including island communities and the trade unions, to ensure the most efficient and best value arrangement to deliver our key lifeline ferry services."