Scots overwhelmingly support keeping Calmac public

Scots overwhelmingly support keeping Calmac public

14 July 2015

RMT Press Office

New poll shows Scots overwhelmingly support keeping Calmac in the public sector and back Calmac workers.

A new independent poll carried out by Survation  has found that almost two thirds of Scottish voters think Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services should remain the public sector while only one in ten support privatising the service.

The poll also found that six out of ten Scots supported the right of Calamac Workers to take industrial action to defend staffing levels, jobs and pensions from the threat of privatisation, while only one in five oppose Calmac workers.
The poll was released following the decision by the Scottish Government to defer to end of the month the issuing of the Invitation to Tender documents for the CalMac services following discussions with the RMT.

The union today vowed to step up its campaign to keep Calmac in the public sector and do whatever was necessary to defend its member’s jobs and conditions as talks continue.

 As well as strong public support, political backing for the Unions campaign continues to grow with  new Parliamentary motions being tabled at Westminster, by both SNP and Labour MPs,  supporting keeping Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services in the public sector and calling for the concerns of Calmac workers to be addressed. (See below)

 RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
 “The fact that nearly two thirds of Scottish voters support RMT’s campaign to keep CalMac as a public service within the public sector is a massive boost for our fight to defend these lifeline ferry routes.

 “The message from the general public could not be clearer and is backed up by broad political support for public ownership of CalMac. The union expects those overseeing the tendering process to take this resounding, independent polling fully into account and to secure the future of CalMac in the public sector.”

 ends

Notes:

 

RMT CalMac Summary Document

 

Sample Size: 1,084

Fieldwork Dates: 3rd - 7th July 2015

Method: Scottish adults aged 16+ interviewed online

 

Two operators, Serco Caledonian Ferries Ltd, a privately owned company, and CalMac Ferries Ltd, a publicly owned company, have been invited by the Scottish Government to tender for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract which covers lifeline ferry services between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's West Coast.

Which of the following statements is closest to your view?

 

All

CON

LAB

SNP

The Scottish government should decide that these ferry services remain publicly operated

64%

49%

63%

72%

The Scottish government should decide that these ferry services should be privately operated

11%

20%

11%

11%

Don't know

25%

31%

26%

17%

 

 

Workers employed by CalMac Ferries Ltd, which currently runs the lifeline ferry services between the mainland of Scotland and 22 of the major islands on Scotland's West Coast are taking industrial action over concerns that jobs, staffing level, pensions and conditions could be threatened by the possible privatisation of these services.

Which of the following statement is closest to your view?

 

All

CON

LAB

SNP

I support the right of CalMac workers to take industrial action

58%

33%

67%

66%

I oppose the right of CalMac workers to take industrial action

20%

49%

13%

15%

Don't know

22%

18%

20%

19%

 

 

Westminster Parliament Early Day Motions

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/232

http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2015-16/232

 

 

 

 

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