Union calls off ferry strike

A PLANNED strike by workers on inter-island ferries in Shetland on Wednesday has been called off. 

Shetland Islands Council said it had been informed by local representatives from Unite that the planned industrial action would now not take place.

Ferries had been expected to be out of action every Wednesday from 6am to 9am commencing this week.

Regional organiser with Unite, John Taylor, said the union had called off industrial action over the festive period as “a sign of good will”.

“This afternoon we have agreed that we would meet on 6 January for further talks to try to resolve the situation with Acas, and as a sign of good will our members have called off the industrial action,” he said.

The meeting between the trade union, council representatives and the mediation service Acas will take place in Aberdeen.

The dispute between the two sides is over job evaluation and associated wages after salary grades of mates on the ferries had been reassessed during the council’s single status negotiations.

Maggie Sandison, the council’s director for infrastructure services said she was pleased that lifeline inter-islands services would not now be disrupted.

“We are keen to continue to work positively with our workforce, Unite and Acas to find a solution that will prevent the possibility of future disruption,” she added.