Greens to vote on free late-night transport for hospitality workers

A proposal to provide free late-night transport to help hospitality workers get home safely will be voted on by the Scottish Greens at their party conference.

Some people working in the night-time industries face dangerous journeys home, with some options being too expensive.

Unite Hospitality – through its Get Me Home Safely campaign – has been calling on Scotland’s employers to accept a duty of care when it comes to workers travelling home during unsocial hours.

At the Greens’ conference in Dundee this weekend, members will vote on a motion to support the campaign and make the provision of free transport home a mandatory requirement in the industry.

The move would also see a number of safety improvement measures worked upon by the party, including legislation to install clear and operational CCTV on all forms of public transport, and introducing a legal requirement for transport workers to prevent gender-based violence, sexual assault and harassment on public transport and in private hires.

Scottish Green Glasgow councillor Dan Hutchison said: “Assault, threatening behaviour and dangerous routes home are all too common for workers in hospitality.

“Every shift, staff are left wondering whether they will be forced to walk home in the dark if they’ve not made enough tips to pay for a taxi, or whether they’ll make it home safely at all.

“Employers and governments across Scotland must play their part in preventing this cycle of anxiety for staff, and this motion would ensure that many of the barriers to a safe working environment for those working late can be brought to an end.

“Unite’s excellent work in improving safety measures on public transport and taking the burden for paying for safe travel away from workers could be transformative to the thousands working in late night bars and clubs.

“Scottish Greens must make clear our unwavering support for workers in the hospitality sector by backing this motion and making our towns and cities safer for everyone in them.”

Bryan Simpson, Unite Hospitality organiser, added: “We are delighted to hear that our Get Me Home Safely campaign has proven so popular with Scottish Green Party members in their conference motions ballot.

“If passed at the Scottish Greens conference, this motion would send an important message to employers that they have an obligation to provide transport home for their late night workers and that the Scottish Government should do more to encourage that.

“We urge conference delegates to back the campaign which will benefit thousands of workers across Scotland.”