Scottish rail workers reject ‘Israeli’-linked trains

• ASLEF drivers have pledged not to operate ScotRail trains manufactured by Spanish company CAF.
• CAF is listed in a UN database of businesses involved in activities connected to ‘Israeli’ settlements.
• The proposed contract could cover up to 106 new trains.

Train drivers in Scotland have warned they will refuse to operate new ScotRail trains if a company linked to ‘Israeli’ settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is awarded a contract to manufacture the fleet.

The warning comes from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF), which has opposed the inclusion of Spanish railway manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) among five companies shortlisted to build Scotland's new suburban trains.

ASLEF's Scottish organiser, Kevin Lindsay, has made clear that union members will not drive the trains if CAF secures the contract, citing the company's involvement in operating and expanding Jerusalem's light rail network, which connects illegal ‘Israeli’ settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories with West Jerusalem.

CAF is included in a United Nations database of businesses involved in activities connected to ‘Israeli’ settlements. The UN Human Rights Office has identified the company's involvement in providing infrastructure and transport services that support the maintenance and expansion of settlements.

The proposed contract could cover the manufacture of up to 106 trains, which are expected to enter service in the early 2030s. The new fleet would operate on routes serving East Kilbride, Fife, the Borders and Glasgow's suburban network, among others.

The dispute has also drawn criticism from the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), which warned against using public money to finance a company involved in expanding ‘Israeli’ settlements. Its deputy general secretary, Dave Moxham, described such a prospect as "unconscionable" and called on the Scottish government to remove CAF from the bidding process.

The Scottish Greens have also called for CAF to be excluded, arguing that awarding it the contract would contradict the Scottish Parliament's position on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).

In September, the Scottish Parliament backed a motion stating that companies involved in illegal ‘Israeli’ settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories should be disqualified from public procurement contracts and Scottish government support. The motion passed by 63 votes to 25, with 31 abstentions.

However, the dispute has intensified after Scottish Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn declined to rule out CAF's participation. In correspondence with ASLEF, Flynn argued that inclusion on a UN database alone would not necessarily provide sufficient grounds to exclude the company, adding that the final procurement decision rests with Scottish Rail Holdings, the public body overseeing the process.

ASLEF's Lindsay subsequently criticised the government's position, accusing the transport secretary of failing to act on Scotland's stated commitments to Palestinian rights and warning that public money could ultimately benefit a company involved in settlement expansion.

The issue remains unresolved. On Oct. 29, Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark submitted parliamentary questions seeking clarification on whether the government had obtained legal advice about CAF's eligibility and whether the procurement process would remain paused pending that advice. Answers are expected on Nov. 12.

The four other manufacturers shortlisted for the contract are Alstom, Hitachi Rail, Siemens Mobility and Stadler Rail. ScotRail has said the procurement process will be conducted in accordance with applicable legal requirements and procedures.

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