RMT welcomes news that CalMac Pentalina Cataraman Charter has been scrapped after raising safety concerns
CALMAC UNION RMT today welcomed the news that Pentland Ferries’ catamaran Pentalina will not be introduced onto CalMac operated Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes.
The union had raised serious safety concerns with the regulator, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, over the unauthorised modifications made to the Pentalina by the anti-trade union owner of Pentland Ferries, Andrew Banks. Those unauthorised modifications were undertaken in 2015, according to Mr Banks himself.
RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch said: “We of course recognise the difficulties caused to people and businesses by the ongoing failure of the Scottish Government’s vessel procurement programme. But bringing an unsafe vessel onto Clyde and Hebrides ferry services is in no one’s interest.
“We strongly believe that a cavalier approach to safety and seafarers’ rights, hallmarks of Pentland Ferries, have no place on Scotland’s lifeline ferry services.”
