The Edinburgh Tram nightmare drags on, and on, and on

Despite my best efforts to avoid going into Haymarket to the Mercat Bar, because of the tram works,  I had to go there this week - what a bloody nightmare, a total disgrace, no coordination, a bone idle workforce who seem to be happy to walk the length and breadth of Shandwick Place, just to pass time - certainly very few of them seriously trying to justify their weekly pay check.

I watched for a while and in the length of the works between Haymarket and the West End there were about ten blokes who were not standing with their hands in their pockets, on the mobile phone, or just wandering about.       One of our girls said that she had watched three "workies" spend a whole shift doing absolutely nothing, who had even asked for the TV to be put on !!!! 

Another friend was telling me that his Company have three staff on a permanent placement on this job, and he cannot understand why as there is little or no work for them.   Big question also, is how many men are being ghosted into this contract.   I followed two men for the full length of the street who did nothing but stop and chat - there appears to be a total lack of supervision. 

Question - who is really controlling this job,   who gives a toot that for every wage packet the workies get, local traders are losing so much more and accumulating debt.    It is comparable to the Fireman's strike,   they suffered, and never ever made up for their losses - similarly, the traders in Haymarket and the West End will never make up for the devastation the tram works have caused.  I bet that the Councillors, M.P's and MSP's do not care to walk along chaotic nightmare - and talk to those who have suffered, and will never recover, no matter how may free rides they dish out.

We owe a great deal to those friends and members of the public who have braved the roadworks and made the  effort to support the Mercat Bar and other local businesses.