Volunteer fears

Brian Ferguson’s report (Scotsman, 12 June) reveals that Underbelly’s reviled Volunteer Ambassador scheme only recruited 55 volunteers, a fraction of the 300 aimed for. No wonder Charlie Wood, coowner of Underbelly, sounds defensive, insisting that all the people who volunteered “genuinely had a great time” and complaining that the “only piece of negative feedback we had was that some people felt the criticism in the press was a shame because it marred their experience”.

At least Wood acknowledged the bad press, contradicting a claim made in Underbelly’s report that “the media response to the revamped Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations was unanimously positive”. The event achieved a lot of negative criticism for its use of volunteers. His complacency also runs counter to what we heard on the night. One volunteer we spoke to said that “it seemed to be pushing the limits of acceptable volunteering”.

Even more important is the attitude of the over 1,000 workers employed on the night, whose voices are of course missing from their report completely. One of the security guards we spoke to on the night said of the unpaid work: “It’s a bad omen for the rest of us.” If Underbelly can generated £39 million for the economy, it can surely make the night a good work experience and encourage contractors and staff to join trade unions so that they had their rights protected. Good work, not voluntary pliancy, is what Fair Fringe, Better than Zero, and various trade unions are working hard to achieve for those working in Edinburgh’s festivals and events all year round.

CAILEAN GALLAGHER Campaigns and Communications Officer, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Woodlands Road,

Glasgow