ScotRail in ‘public’ ownership – only socialist nationalisation can end cuts and underfunding

ScotRail, the Scottish train operator, is from today under Scottish government control and ownership. The nationalisation comes on the 25th anniversary of the completion of rail privatisation by John Major’s Tory government.

For the last quarter of a century rail unions have fought for renationalisation amid rampant profiteering, falling investment, cuts to services and attacks on workers’ jobs and terms and conditions.

Abellio, the last private owner of ScotRail, itself the state run Dutch rail operator, was stripped of its contract after serial failures.

However, what it also clear is that this form of capitalist nationalisation will be bereft of any control by the workforce and the unions.

Indeed ScotRail, now owned by the Scottish government through Scottish Rail Holdings Limited, will continue to be run on the same business model as it was in the private sector.

The RMT have already warned that: “the Scottish Government must change direction and reject the notion that rail jobs and services should be cut in pursuit of ‘efficiencies’.”

In September 2021, ScotRail, then under Scottish government special measures, announced a plan for major cuts to services and the closure of ticket offices and staff redundancies.

An estimated 100,000 ScotRail services would be cut annually with a loss of more than 1000 jobs.

As Michael Hogg, RMT regional organiser, told Socialist Party Scotland the ScotRail plan “condemns Scotland’s railway – with closures of booking offices and stations, massive job losses and less support for the most vulnerable people within society.” 

It was clear then that the SNP-led government at Holyrood was seeking to cut costs ahead of bringing ScotRail into government ownership.

workers’ control

Nor are there plans for the unions or the workforce to have any control over the company Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail itself. Senior management will be paid ridiculous salaries. Cuts and attempts to drive down workers’ terms and conditions will inevitably follow.

Socialist Party Scotland has long warned that capitalist nationalisation will not deliver for passengers or rail workers. In contrast, socialist nationalisation would involve the running of the industry under genuine workers’ control and management.

Elected committees of trade unions, rail workers, the users of rail services and government would democratically run the industry, including reducing rail fares and a programme of massive investment into transport services.

Those elected to such committees should receive the average wage of a skilled rail worker with no special privileges.

This is the polar opposite of what the SNP-led government have implemented. And they have form for this. The Ferguson Marine shipyard was ‘nationalised’ in December 2019 by the Scottish government.

But rather than the yard being run under workers’ control, first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s administration appointed Tim Hair as “turnaround director”, paying him £2 million or £3,000 a day.

Nicola Sturgeon claimed they were only paying the “market rate” for a boss who spectacularly failed to deliver the promised ferries while the job price has almost trebled.

With the Scottish government now running Scotrail, workers can expect the same overpaid anti-union management to run the network.

Following the recent SNP/Green coalition’s decision to hand over the north sea to the big energy companies, and the SNP’s embracing of Tory freeports with a light greenwashing, there can be no doubt that a SNP controlled rail network will be a for-profit business.

Rail unions should demand a worker-controlled rail network, as well as preparing to take strike action to end the cuts programme at the now Scottish government run railway.