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Scottish rail unions threaten boycott over CAF contract linked to Israeli settlements
By Drooid · · How we work
New ScotRail fleet procurement sparks union boycott threat
ScotRail’s upcoming suburban fleet will be sourced from a shortlist of five bidders—Alstom Engineering Services, Hitachi Rail, Siemens Mobility, Stadler Rail and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). Union officials have warned that drivers will refuse to operate any trains built by CAF if the company is awarded the contract. The warning follows CAF’s recent inclusion in the United Nations Human Rights Office’s updated database of firms involved in unlawful Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Background: CAF’s UN listing and Scotland’s BDS stance
CAF is identified by the UN database as participating in construction and maintenance of Jerusalem’s light-rail lines that serve the Neve Yaakov and Gilo settlements—areas deemed illegal under international law. The Scottish Government has formally adopted a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) position toward Israel, though critics argue the policy has not been fully enforced. Union leaders contend that awarding a contract to a company named by the UN for profiting from settlement expansion would contravene Scotland’s own BDS commitments.
Official statements & responses
Scotland’s cabinet secretary has been urged to act in line with the Parliament’s BDS resolution. The Scottish Government, together with the UK Government, has condemned the use of settlements as a means of denying Palestinian statehood and described the expansion of the Jerusalem Light Rail as a war crime under international law.
Verbatim quotes
- “This matter is of very grave concern to ASLEF. We, alongside other rail unions and the STUC have adopted a position of BDS towards Israel.” — Kevin Lindsay
- “That’s why we are urging the Scottish government to have the courage of its convictions and remove this company from the bidding process.” — Dave Moxham, deputy secretary general of the STUC
- “The message we send must be loud and clear, that Scotland will not back companies profiting from apartheid, genocide or human rights abuses.” — Colette Ricketts, ScotRail Director of Strategy and Business Planning