IT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR YARD
Recruits taken on as work ‘scales up’ at Ferguson’s
THE Scottish Government yesterday said it’s “scaling up” the operation at Ferguson Marine after agreeing to take the troubled shipyard into public ownership.
On a visit to the site in Port Glasgow, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said work on vessels under construction would be completed and jobs would be safeguarded.
He also met some of the 17 new recruits who have started at the yard – and announced that another 10 vacancies are being advertised.
In addition, 14 apprentices will complete their training this month and stay on as part of the workforce.
Mackay said: “It’s good news that we’re moving towards public ownership of Ferguson’s.
“What that’ll do is ensure that we complete the vessels, safeguard the jobs and give the yard a future.
“I’m here today because we’re recruiting more people. I think that’s evidence that progress is being made.
“We’re recruiting more people to work in the yard and we’ve secured the apprentices’ jobs so they now move into mainstream employment.”
Last week, administrators concluded that three indicative offers for the business received from commercial parties were either not capable of being executed or did not represent a better outcome for creditors than the sale of business to the Scottish Government.
It is expected that talks over the final terms of sale between administrators and ministers will be concluded within the next four weeks.
Asked about the cost to the public purse of nationalising the yard, Mackay said: “That full cost appraisal will come to me at the end of the month and then I’ll present that information to Parliament.”
Mackay said the transition towards public ownership of the yard has been, and would continue to be, an orderly one.
He added: “When you look at other shipyards that were in trouble, that went into administration, workers were sent home.
“This has been, and continues to be, an orderly transition.
“We’ve retained the headcount and now we’re growing it.
“We’re scaling up the operation to ensure that we complete the job and ensure that there’s a future pipeline of work as well.
“I’ve given these workers a commitment and I’m standing by that commitment.”