North Ayrshire hospitality firms told to provide transport for late night staff

Irvine Councillor Nairn McDonald put forward a motion at a recent full North Ayrshire Council meeting which will mean hospitality companies will have to provide transport for staff working late at night.

The Labour man said: “The epidemic of male violence against women is one of the most pressing of our times.

“People will think that because we are not in Westminster or Holyrood our hands are tied. We can act and I would argue we have a moral obligation to do so.”

He urged the council to get behind the Unite union’s Get Me Home safely campaign.

The “Get Me Home Safely” campaign is being led by Caitlin Lee, originally from Ardrossan, who is the chair of the Unite the Union’s Glasgow Hospitality Branch.

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The campaign asks licensing boards around the country to make it a condition that employers must provide staff who work late and beyond normal public transport times with safe and free or affordable transport home.

Seconding the motion, Ardrossan Councillor Amanda Kerr said: “ I can understand the predicament of staff working in places with late licences. The company I worked with provided us with transport home late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

“Sadly this is not mirrored through every organisation.

“It is important that the licensing board consults all relevant parties to establish a safe home recommendation within the licensing policy statement to support those working in this industry.”

The motion was carried unanimously.

SNP Irvine West councillor Chloe Robertson also supported the motion

Irvine West Councillor Chloe Robertson, from the SNP, said it was “amazing” the motion had been passed.

She tweeted: “Before I could drive, in an old job, I had to walk for an hour at 3am to get home. As a young woman, this was terrifying. I hope that other councils follow suit.”