St Rollox bosses have a duty to help save jobs

THE clock is ticking on the chance to save up to 200 jobs at the St Rollox Caley works in Springburn.

The 45-day consultation period ends on March 4, just over one week from now.

The current work at the depot is due to run out in July and unless something changes, and changes fast, the gates will be locked and the workers out of a job.

If that happens it will be the end of a 160-year history of railway work being carried out in Springburn on the site.

The St Rollox depot is not the same size compared to its heyday in the last century when it employed thousands, but it is a presence that is economically important for the area.

It is still the biggest railway maintenance depot in the country.

The firm responsible for the work at St Rollox, Gemini Rail, says it is not viable and the available work is not enough to meet the costs of keeping the site open.

It claims it is engaging with the unions and others over the future of the yard.

Many people and many agencies are involved in talks – but still nothing has been resolved.

There have been two debates in the Scottish Parliament where suggestions have been proposed – but still nothing has been resolved.

Each is asking another to do something the other is either unable or unwilling to do.

Labour and the unions want the Scottish Government to nationalise the depot, take the site and the workers into public control and keep it running.

The Scottish Government says it can’t do that and instead is looking at a rail hub model with public and private sector involvement as a possibility.

But Michael Matheson, the Transport Secretary, says that will take time to organise, and that means the jobs will be lost in July.

The Government wants the owners, Gemini Rail, to extend their consultation to allow time to get an alternative model in place.

That could take the rest of the year and they say they would be losing money to continue and as a private sector commercial operation are not able to do so.

The firm has, it is understood, asked the Scottish Government to hand over around £4m to cover losses in response to a question of what can we do to help.

The Government is not willing to hand over cash to a firm that is looking to withdraw from the site.

So, each party involved is asking others to do something to save the site.

At the heart of it are 200 workers, 200 households, families, mortgages and other financial commitments that people need certainty over.

Gemini Rail was quick to take over the site from previous owners when there were rich pickings in the Scottish railway maintenance sector.

Walking away from Springburn, while planning to bid for maintenance work on ScotRail trains but carry it out at Wolverton in England, is a slap in the face for the Caley workers.

Bid for work, and give a commitment to keep the depot open, to allow the Government and others in the rail industry to come up with a viable solution before pulling out.

There have been many owners of the Caley works, private and public, since the 1850s. Gemini Rail doesn’t need to be the last. No-one expects them to run a loss -making operation but they have a responsibility to the workers and community.

Gemini Rail was quick to take over the site from previous owners when there were rich pickings in the Scottish railway maintenance sector