‘Dark day’ as union claims yard is ‘effectively closed’

Trade union GMB Scotland has described what it sees as 'the effective closure' of the BiFab yards in Lewis and Fife as a ‘dark day’ for the Scottish economy, after further redundancies were confirmed last week.

From a core workforce of 400 and a further 1,000 contractors, just seven staff have been offered part-time positions to oversee the maintenance and security of the yards and assets in Arnish, Burntisland and Methil.

However, 12 senior managers from the original BiFab business will be fully retained by new owners DF Barnes/JV Driver.

GMB Scotland organiser Alan Ritchie said: ‘We were promised a bright future by the new owners but the cold, hard truth is that these yards are now closed until new orders can be secured.

‘There is also anger and resentment that some of the people responsible for the demise of BiFab have had their futures secured, while the workers who made the sacrifices to complete the Beatrice order have been shown the door.

‘Jam tomorrow is of no use to our members and their families. This is a dark day for Fife and Lewis and for the Scottish economy. Whether there is any light in the weeks and months to come remains to be seen.’

In April this year, Canadian company JV Driver, through its subsidiary DF Barnes, acquired BiFab as part of an agreement brokered by the Scottish Government to support new opportunities at these yards for fabrication and construction in the marine, renewables and energy sector.

As part of the agreement, announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Government took a minority shareholding in the new company to demonstrate continued commitment to supporting the future of the company’s yard in Arnish, Lewis, as well as in Fife.

DF Barnes said the company is working to secure new contracts for BiFab.

However, the news of redundancies concerns Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan.

He said: ‘The continued reduction in staffing numbers across the BiFab sites is a matter for real concern and I have raised this with the new minister for business, fair work and skills Jamie Hepburn MSP in a telephone call earlier this afternoon.

‘I am in regular dialogue with former yard employees. Reports the company is giving little or no information to staff are concerning. Many months have gone by since the bulk of the workforce were made redundant and this is a long time to be out of work. There is a pressing need for orders to come to Arnish soon and the company needs to engage with their employees and the unions about their efforts on this front.’