NEWS RELEASE 31 January 2005 For immediate release
CalMac Unions to Lobby Scottish Parliament on Ferry Proposals
Unions will take their fight to stop the proposed tendering of Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services to the Scottish Parliament by lobbying MSPs this Thursday (03/02/05).
The CalMac Unions (RMT, NUMAST, TSSA and TGWU) supported by the Scottish Trade Union Congress believe the proposed tendering of the CalMac Ferry services by the Scottish Executive is unnecessary and will lead to less efficient services, costing the taxpayer more.
Speaking in anticipation of the lobby STUC General Secretary Bill Speirs said: "The more we examine the proposals from the Executive the less they make sense.
The communities, including my relatives from Stornoway to Staffin, who are reliant on the lifeline services are very apprehensive about what the future may hold."
Workers from CalMac and the communities dependant on these services will display a giant map of Scotland outside the main entrance to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday to symbolise the threat of lifeline services from the mainland being cut off.
Mr Speirs added "Despite the claims of the Scottish Executive in their pursuit of this deeply unpopular action we do not believe tendering is necessary and many support our view.
ENDS
For more details contact: John Park
Kevin Buchanan 0141 337 8100
Tel: 0141 337 8100 / Fax: 0141 337 8101 www.stuc.org.uk
Notes for Editors:
1200 - 1230 Participants in the lobby will gather at the demonstration point (immediately to the right on leaving the Scottish Parliament main entrance)
1230 - 1250 Photo opportunity where Islands will be "cut off" from large map of Scotland using equally large scissors
1250 - 1300 Lobby will move to Committee Room 2 (tea, coffee etc will be provided)
1300 - 1310 STUC General Secretary Bill Speirs and RMT General Secretary Bob Crow will address the lobby
1310 -1400 Constituents and workers will lobby MSPs (Committee Room 2)