The Talking-up Scotland fund raiser primarily, finishing in 8 days, to enable the recruitment of some research assistance, in order to take pressure off me [74 in June and tiring] and hopefully to further improve the blog, has made a good start. To contribute, only if you can (!) go to: Talking-up Scotland - a Politics crowdfunding project in Ayr by Professor John Robertson
Professor John Robertson OBA
In Scotland, CalMac‘s oldest large ferry, out of 34 vessels, the MV Isle of Arran is approaching 42 years of age.
In the US state of Alaska, out of 11 vessels, they have 3 more than 60 and 1 more than 50 years-old
From the Juneau Empire, two days ago:
Southeast Alaska leaders want the Alaska Marine Highway System to be an economic lifeboat, but the badly damaged ferry system is twisting shorthanded through perilous waters strewn with icebergs from the state and federal governments.
AMHS’ employee vacancy rate has risen to 24% during the past year and a lawsuit says Gov. Mike Dunleavy is trying to make the state’s workforce situation worse with a substantial cut in wages offered to new employees. Major maintenance of some decades-old vessels is being delayed or scrapped by the state, and ferry officials are also facing the possibility the Trump administration will revoke funds for system upgrades as part of his effort to massively cut the federal government.
That’s a shocking level of vacancies with worrying implications for safety. The ferry systems in British Columbia and Washington State have the same problem because they do not pay decent wages. CalMac is fully staffed because it pays the living wage.
Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/
The Oliver Brown Award for advancing the cause of Scotland’s self respect, previously awarded to Dr Philippa Whitford, Alex Salmond and Sean Connery: https://scotsindependent.scot/?page_id=116
About Oliver Brown, the first Scottish National Party candidate to save his deposit in a Parliamentary election: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Brow
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 