HUNDREDS of workers on Scotland’s lifeline ferry routes do not live on the islands they serve leading to claims that fragile communities are missing out on potentially vital job opportunities.
New figures have revealed 204 Caledonian MacBrayne staff live on the Outer Hebrides despite services to the islands having up to 455 workers to service the routes.
Now Western Isles Council is calling on ministers to ensure more jobs are created for the islands which would boost the economy and help re-populate communities.
The council wants CalMac to employ enough Western Isles residents to be equivalent to the number of full- time personnel required to deliver the operations to the Hebrides.
According to the council, this would be equivalent to the full crew complements of staff onboard the ferries such as the MV Loch Seaforth, MV Isle of Lewis and MV Hebrides, and all shore-based staff at the island ferry terminals.
A report to the council said: “CalMac is not recruiting and retaining enough staff locally to meet the operational requirements of manning ports and ferries.
“If these jobs alone were to be recruited from the Outer Hebrides this could have a hugely positive economic impact on the islands, growing population, benefiting local businesses and increasing school rolls.
“Clearly CalMac as a company wholly owned by Scottish ministers is failing in its duty to meet this purpose and it is time for the Scottish Government and our elected parliamentarians to ensure a fair dispersal of jobs to the islands served by CalMac, Cllr Uisdean Robertson, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said: “To help our economy grow sustainably we need the right operational and investment choices to be taken on our ferry services.
“Instead we have seen £80 million spent on the new MV Loch Seaforth and the port infrastructure at Stornoway and Ullapool to deliver a less frequent service than the general public had before when the freight ferry operated alongside MV Isle of Lewis.
“The ferry services that cross the Little Minch face the prospect of a spend of up to £100m on a single larger new ferry shared between the two routes and a resultant requirement for significant port investment to retain a service level little better than it was in 1964.”
It comes as local businesses on the islands complain about the over strained ferry services after CalMac warned of disruption and delays this summer as a result of its ageing fleet.
The average age of ferries serving routes from Arran in the south to Lewis in the north is just under 22 years.
Council leader Roddie Mackay said: “At a time when there have been serious questions around vessel deployment, ongoing issues with under capacity which have not been addressed and valid concerns around resilience and lack of vessels, it is right and proper that questions be asked about the location of staff and the need for much more local input into decision making".
A CalMac spokesman said:"The company runs a network that stretches 200 miles across the west coast and while our services serve the Western Isles we also serve many routes in the Firth of Clyde and the Inner Hebrides.
"We need to spread the benefits of employment and also of procurement of goods and services across the vast geographic area we serve and we will continue to strive to ensure all communities benefit fairly."
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