Exclusive:Trade unions locked out of SNP government discussions on the future of buses
The STUC says there has been ‘a concerning lack of engagement’ with workers on proposed legislation.
Union leaders said they are “alarmed” that workers were “bypassed” on stakeholder discussions about the Scottish Government’s proposed better buses bill.
Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, has now written to Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn saying there has been “a concerning lack of engagement” with trade unions in this area.
In June, Mr Flynn told parliament the government intends to bring forward a bill in the current parliamentary session to help bring down bus fares and introduce new routes across the country. He said the bill would mean buses are for the benefit of passengers, not private operators.
However, Transport Scotland held a stakeholder roundtable on the proposed bill in August, but did not invite any trade union representatives to attend. Bus operators including First Bus, McGills, Stagecoach South Scotland and Scottish Citylink were all invited to attend, something the STUC says is an “alarming” direction of travel for the proposed legislation.
In her letter to the transport secretary, seen by The Scotsman, Ms Foyer said it was inappropriate for operators who are “extracting significant profits while simultaneously running down services” were involved in the stakeholder discussions but not the workers themselves.
Ms Foyer said: “Trade unions and campaigners are clear that we must move to a more accessible, cheaper and publicly-owned bus network in Scotland.
“Therefore, it was alarming that the Scottish Government would prioritise the operators - those who have profited from Scotland’s run-down bus network through sky high fares and depleting routes - instead of the workforce and service users.
“Unions cannot be shut out nor bypassed from the better buses legislation. Workers’ voices, not those of shareholders who seek the extraction of profit at the public’s expense, must be valued.
“We would urge the cabinet secretary to get round the table and listen to the demands of our movement, building a bus network of cheaper fares, increased accessibility and a publicly-owned network that benefits people, not profiteers.”
Dougie Maguire, deputy Scottish secretary at Unite the Union, added that trade union involvement in discussions was “critical”, and that freezing out workers’ voices would lead to poorer bus services.
Ellie Harrison, chair of Get Glasgow Moving, said: “This better buses legislation offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to abolish Margaret Thatcher’s failed policy of bus deregulation once and for all.
“This will not happen if the Scottish Government continues to prioritise the views of the private bus companies who have profited from this broken system for decades.
“It’s clear that passengers and workers want their bus networks back in democratic public ownership and control.W
“In order to achieve this, the new legislation must take urgent action to accelerate bus franchising across Scotland’s regions - so that all bus fleets and depots can be taken back into public ownership and all routes and timetables can be planned in the public interest to meet communities’ needs.”
A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “The roundtable held in August was the first meeting of a broader programme of engagement on our proposals to enhance the delivery of bus services across Scotland.
“It was not intended to represent the full extent of stakeholder engagement on the better buses programme.
“We are committed to engaging with trade unions and other stakeholders throughout the development of these proposals.
“Ministers would be happy to meet STUC and representatives of other trade unions who represent the bus network to ensure that they have an opportunity to contribute to this work.”
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