Ferry passengers are facing travels chaos as CalMac workers prepare to strike.
The 24-hour stoppage will clash with the start of the school holidays in the Hebrides – and there are fears it will damage the Highlands and islands’ vital tourism industry.
Members of the Rail and Maritime Transport (RMT) union announced they will walk out on Friday, June 26, amid a bitter row over pay and conditions.
The strike has the potential to disrupt all the 25 Clyde and Hebrides routes operated by CalMac – from Kintyre to the Western Isles.
The union has also raised concerns about the rival bid to run services by private firm Serco, which is competing with publicly-owned CalMac for the crucial west coast routes from next year.
Serco already operates the NorthLink ferries which run to Shetland and Orkney.
The RMT union said staff felt “caught in the crossfire” of the tendering process for the Clyde and Hebrides services, which it claims had left jobs, pensions and conditions at risk.
RMT members have been instructed by the union not to book-on for any duty between 12.01am and 11.59pm on Friday, June 26 if a ship is in port.
A ban on overtime and being called back to work is also in place for June 24 and 25.
A glimmer of hope for peace is on the horizon as CalMac has said it will meet union officials today for talks.
RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “RMT members on CalMac rightly feel that they are caught in the crossfire of an unnecessary and damaging tendering battle that leaves jobs, conditions and pensions hanging by a thread.
“That is simply intolerable.
“As a result of the failure to give staff the most basic assurances we are now using the massive mandate secured in the ballot and confirming a programme of industrial action.
“RMT wants cast iron assurances and we want them now and we are prepared to engage in meaningful talks around that agenda as we prepare for the first phase of industrial action.”
A spokesman for CalMac said: “We are aware of the latest announcement from the RMT and are very conscious of the reliance placed on our ferry services by the communities we serve and visitors to the area.
“We have scheduled discussions with our trade unions on Thursday.”
Western Isles Council leader Angus Campbell said that the strike being held on the same day as schools broke up for the summer holiday was “not ideal”.
He added that he hoped talks would lead to a resolution as the islands simply “cannot afford” disruption during the height of the summer tourist season.
He added: “Obviously there’s no food coming into the shops, and there’s an effect on tourism as well.
“People travelling on their daily business who will also be put out.”
He added: “It coincides with the start of our school holidays which is not ideal. A lot of people like to get away straight away.”
Scottish Labour’s shadow transport minister, Highland and islands MSP David Stewart, said: “More than 90% of members of the RMT ferry workers voted for industrial action as they have genuine and heartfelt concerns over job security, conditions and, particularly, pensions.
“The SNP government owns CalMac and they should be taking action to resolve this very unsatisfactory and worryingly poor climate of industrial relations.”
He added: “The government needs to respond clearly and quickly to address this deteriorating situation to not only secure jobs, condition, pay and pensions for the CalMac workforce, but also to address the concerns of many islanders rightly worried about the continuity of lifeline ferry services for our islands and also the concerns being expressed by the business community who rely on these vital ferry services.”