Following the decision to temporarily cut around 700 ScotRail services, the leaders of groups representing several Scottish business sectors have released a statement calling for an immediate resolution.
“This situation has the potential to be utterly devastating, particularly for our cultural, hospitality, sport, leisure and night-time entertainment industries, with analysis published over the weekend indicating the cost to the Scottish economy could be around £220m if the dispute lasts for four weeks,” it read.
“Many of these businesses and city centre hubs, the lifeblood of our economy, are just beginning to emerge from the long and destabilising impact of the pandemic and this latest disruption will undoubtedly take a heavy toll.”
Signatories to the letter include:
- Sandy Begbie, chief executive at Scottish Financial Enterprise
- Liz Cameron, chief executive at the Scottish Chambers of Commerce
- Marc Crothall, chief executive at the Scottish Tourism Alliance
- David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium
- Aidan O’Carroll, chair of the Institute of Directors Scotland
“The collective focus must be on accelerating economic recovery and, with many major sports events, festivals, and the high tourist season nearly upon us, this impasse threatens Scotland’s ability to attract visitors at a time when they are most needed,” the statement continued.
“Furthermore, we are in the teeth of a cost-of-living crisis and many passengers across the country must have access to a reliable train service that doesn’t require them to spend more disposable income on sourcing alternative routes of travel, just so they can commute to and from work.
“In short, we urge the relevant unions, ScotRail and Scottish Government to get round the table and find an agreed resolution that swiftly restores the availability, consistency and accessibility of rail services for Scotland’s businesses, employees, customers and communities.”
Jenny Gilruth appeared in front of Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee today, where she took questions on the row over reduced ScotRail services.
The train operator, which was nationalised in April, introduced a reduced timetable on Monday, amid a pay dispute with train drivers union Aslef. The row has led to drivers refusing to work overtime and on rest days.
Committee member Monica Lennon said she welcomed the intention for the Scottish Government to have a good relationship with the trade unions, but highlighted press coverage on the RMT union accusing Gilruth of lying.
The Scotsman newspaper reported that Mick Hogg, the Scottish regional organiser of the RMT, said Gilruth was “telling lies” when stating she wants to see unions and ScotRail get round the table to negotiate.
“They also say that the buck stops with you, minister,” Lennon said. “How can we be sure that the lines of responsibility are clear, and how do we get to a place very quickly where trade unions, that I know you respect, have confidence in you?”
The transport minister replied: “I’ve got to say, in terms of the respectful tone between government and trade unions, the use of that word, I don’t find particularly respectful.
“I don’t think it’s accurate either - I spent a lot of time, as you know, at the start of my appointment with our trade union partners to try and bring them into the conversation about the future of Scotland’s trains.”
She said she accepts responsibility as transport minister, but it would not be appropriate amid an industrial dispute for ministers to be part of negotiations.
Convener Dean Lockhart told Gilruth that, in her words, the main reason for the nationalisation of ScotRail was to increase accountability to make sure ministers are held to account.
“Why aren’t Scottish ministers getting directly involved in this process to ensure we don’t see massive cuts to rail services in Scotland?” he asked.
“Two points, convener,” the transport minister replied.
“I don’t think that’s an accurate description of what’s been happening in recent days, on Friday, I spent a considerable amount of time with ScotRail, and yesterday I met with ScotRail, along with Mr (Bill) Reeve, to discuss some of the challenges around about the current situation.
“It’s not the case, though, that Scottish ministers are in the room.”
Gilruth added: “Drivers working on the rest days is a historic thing that exists in the rail industry, it’s not something that’s come into existence under nationalisation of our trains - it depends upon, primarily, goodwill of drivers.
“Aslef are in dispute with ScotRail, I totally respect that, they balloted their members on the pay offer.
“This is a separate issue, because drivers are choosing not to work on the rest days - now, if drivers want to spend time with their families, or take part in leisure pursuits, then that’s in their gift, of course.
“But it’s also the case that ScotRail can’t run as many trains as would usually be the case under the previous timetable, which is why ScotRail took the decision - a difficult decision, I have to say - to reduce train allocation.”
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