Katy has reiterated her demand for clarity over the future of Clyde island ferry services. Katy has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for the Final Ferries Plan to categorically rule out privatisation on Clyde and Hebrides ferry services routes and to honour existing workforce protections in any new contracts. Concerns have been raised over the future of ferry routes following the transfer of the Pentland Firth route from CalMac subsidiary Northlink to the multinational Serco. The RMT trade union  recently announced that it is to begin the balloting process for industrial action on Caledonian MacBrayne Scottish Ferries after CalMac failed to give assurances to staff about future terms and conditions.

Speaking on the subject Katy said “The uncertainty over Scottish ferry services must come to an end. We have been waiting far too long for the Scottish Government to make its intentions clear about the tendering of services to the Clyde Islands. People who are dependent on these lifeline services deserve to know what’s going on.”

“Scottish Ministers claim to give guarantees about the future of CalMac but up until now their actions have failed to match their words. The transfer of the Northern Isles routes to Serco suggests a shift towards privatisation. If this is the case it would be deeply regrettable. Whatever the case however until the Scottish Government publish their detailed proposals uncertainty will remain.”