Responding to the announcement that the ScotRail franchise has been extended for three years beyond its current 2011 end date, Grahame Smith, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) General Secretary said:
“It is hugely disappointing that the Scottish Government saw fit to make this announcement without any prior consultation with those who actually deliver the services.
“Little over a month has passed since an STUC delegation met with Stewart Stevenson to discuss, amongst other important transport issues, the future of the franchise. The Minister gave no indication whatsoever that an announcement was imminent and it stretches all credibility to believe that negotiations had not started at that point. Ironically, the Minister did fully commit to consultation and dialogue with trade unions on transport issues.
“The STUC will continue to argue that only a publicly owned and integrated transport system, run wholly in the public interest, can fully meet Scotland’s transport needs. It is wholly unacceptable that the new Scottish Government has announced this extension without any consideration of other models. This makes a mockery of the SNP’s previous commitment to running Scotland’s railways on a not for profit basis”.
ENDS
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