Union says its best for ferry’s not to privatise Scots shipyard

A Scots trade union have said that ministers must protect shipyard’s nationalised ownership and ferry contracts amid speculation that the Scottish Government are in discussions with private firms to take over the yard.

GMB Scotland say that the government must alleviate anxiety at Ferguson Marine shipyard in Port Glasgow, over contracts for local ferries like Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which are years late and massively overbudget as well as the possibility that the yard itself may come into private ownership.

There are fears from GMB, the biggest union at the shipyard, that the government are speaking to private firms to privatise the yard and take over the ferry contracts.

Garry Cook, GMB senior organiser for engineering, said: “Taxpayers must get a return on the money already invested at Fergusons. It makes absolutely no sense to make the investment demanded by the current contract and endure the difficulties then allow new private owners to profit.

“The workforce is in no way responsible for the mistakes that have been made but those errors have cost taxpayers far too much money and our members want to help settle the books and restore the reputation of their yard that has become a political football.

“The future of the yard must be secured as quickly as possible and that means ministers committing to building the small ferries in Port Glasgow.”

In January the Scottish Government were embarrassed after it was revealed that CalMac ferries built in Turkey would be finished on time and before those being built on Clydeside.

This has sparked criticism from the Scottish Conservatives, who said it highlighted the SNPs incompetence.

Speaking to the BBC, Graham Simpson, Conservative transport spokesman, said: “It is an astonishing humiliation for the SNPs original ferries strategy, which still hasn’t delivered two vessels that are six years late and hugely over budget.

“I predicted that when the Turkish shipyard was awarded the contract to build the ferries that they may well be ready before the ill-fated ones being built at the Ferguson yard.   

It has been reported that new economy secretary Màiri McAllan is considering awarding the contracts for seven small ferries to Ferguson’s, but has been advised that she should let the contracts go out of tender.

This, along with the speculation that Ferguson’s itself is being considered for private ownership has left GMB concerned for their members and that years of taxpayer investment will be wasted.

Cook added: “Apart from the islanders who have waited far too long, no one wants these two ferries finished more than our members.

“The mistakes that have been made were not made by this skilled and committed workforce and their jobs and the future of this yard should not be jeopardised by errors made years ago.

“The yard needs the small ferries and from there it can begin to create a pipeline of secure work and secure this yard’s future and the Clyde’s shipbuilding heritage for generations to come.”

Sean McKInven