Battle for Bicab is a fight for cife’s future, says worried union

Alternative to keeping yards open is ‘not acceptable’

Union leaders are locked in behindclosed-doors talks with the Scottish Government and others as the battle for BiFab continues.

They have warned the future of Fife is at stake with the Beatrice windfarm contract coming to an end this month and no further work secured.

GMB Scotland organiser Alan Ritchie said workers were determined to do everything possible to keep the yards in Burntisland and Methil open, along with a third yard in Stornoway.

“The alternative is not acceptable,” he said.

“We’re fed up seeing ghost towns and we don’t want it to be Methil no more.”

In November, the yards were on the brink of closure during a dispute with a major contractor on the Beatrice project for the Cromarty Firth.

The Scottish Government brokered a deal to stave off administration until the end of the project.

Mr Ritchie said the first new contracts would be announced in May or June, meaning that even if BiFab was awarded a slice of the work there would still be a gap of several weeks after the contract ends.

“There’s over £2 million of work coming to tender and BiFab is down to the last two contractors for that,” he said.

“If we get half of that we’re looking at more than 2,000 workers coming to Fife.”

In the meantime, the unions will be seeking further training for workers as one way to make BiFab an attractive option for contractors.

Asked if they would consider a workers’ cooperative or a management buyout to keep the firm afloat, Mr Ritchie responded: “We are looking at other tactics as a workforce but we want to keep our cards close to our chest.

“There are other things going on and we’re in talks. If they don’t work we’ll be coming back with other tactics.”

He added: “This is not just about BiFab and the workers, this is about the communities.

“If the yards go under, the shop owner who depends on the workers won’t be able to survive.

“The taxi driver who depends on hires won’t have these hires.

“More importantly, the future of Fife is lying at stake – the youngsters who had a chance of getting skilled jobs, apprenticeships and a decent wage.”

Methil councillor John O’Brien said there was an atmosphere of fear in the town.

“People are scared. If this yard closes it will be the final nail in the coffin for Methil,” he said.

if the yards go under, the shop owner who depends on the workers won’t be able to survive. Thetaxi driver who depends on hires won’t have these hires. ALAN RITCHIE, GMB

Picture: Tina Norris. The BiFab yard at Methil is one of three under threat unless new contracts are won. Now a top GMB official is warning the future of the whole of Fife could be at stake.