The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Minister hails positive progress in BiFab crisis
Parties involved in dispute now round table and discussing issues
“Very serious progress” has been made in efforts to secure the future of troubled Fife engineering firm BiFab, a Scottish Government minister has said.
Economy Secretary Keith Brown maintained ministers have a “laser-like focus” on achieving a successful resolution to the ongoing dispute involving the firm and Dutch-owned contractor Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) over payments.
Up to 1,400 jobs are at stake at BiFab’s yards in Burntisland and Methil, plus Arnish on the Isle of Lewis and hundreds of workers and their families supported one of the largest union demonstrations of its kind in years at Holyrood on Thursday to highlight the strength of feeling against the company’s plight.
BiFab, which makes equipment for the oil and gas industry and the renewable energy sector, filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators a week ago as it faces cash flow problems linked to its contracts.
Mr Brown said discussions have been taking place every day this week, sometimes late into the night, to help make sure BiFab jobs stay in Scotland.
Talks continued yesterday, this time involving First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who returned early from a UN climate change conference to take part.
Mr Brown said: “The most important thing we can do, which I think has been constructive so far, is to get the parties round the table.
“The parties weren’t speaking, there wasn’t the prospect of a resolution to this.
“We now have very serious progress being made towards a resolution of this and that’s with the active involvement of the Scottish Government.”
BiFab staff have voted to continue working until further notice, despite the fact they may not get paid.
Asked about the nature of the dispute, Mr Brown told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “There’s one particular payment which has not been paid and the two different parties to that payment – on the one hand BiFab on the other hand Seaway Heavy Lifting – have different views on the nature of that payment and when it should be made.
“What we’re trying to do is bring the parties round the table.”
Shadow Scottish secretary and Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath MP Lesley Laird said she was pleased by the “positive way” the UK and Scottish Governments had worked towards trying to find a solution.
“It’s encouraging that a number of opportunities are being looked at,” she said.“Given BiFab’s strategic importance and the decision which gave a green light to the Inch Cape, Neart na Gaoithe, Seagreen Alpha and Bravo projects I also think it would be worth exploring a solution similar to that used to safeguard the steelworks industry when Tata Steel got into difficulties.”