Unions accuse Scottish Government of ‘extinguishing the hopes’ of communities after deal to save Bifab jobs collapses
A lifeline deal which would have brought jobs to Scotland’ s Bi Fab yards has collapsed, sparking concerns for the future of the company.
A proposed agreement between Bi fa band EDF for the manufacture of eight windfarm turbine jackets fell through this yesterday, dashing hopes that yards in Burntisland, Methil and Lewis would all benefit from the work.
The Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) offshore wind project will now be built off the coast of Fife not far from the Methil yard which is among those snubbed.
Unions attacked the Scottish Government saying it had “extinguished the hopes” of the workers and their communities.
However, the Scottish Government, a minority shareholder in Bifab, blamed the majority holders for failing to invest further.
G MB Scotland secretary Gary Smith and Unite Scotland secretary Pat Ra ff erty said :“It looks like ministers have walked away from our b est chance of building a meaningful offshore wind
manufacturing sector, and in doing so has extinguished the hopes of communities in Fife and Lewis who were banking their future prosperity on it.
“It’s a scandalous end to a decade which started with promises of a “Saudi Arabia of Renewables” supporting 28,000 full-time jobs in offshore wind and now finishes in mothballed fabrication yards and no prospect of any contracts or jobs on the horizon.
“Both the First Minister and the Prime Minister promised a green jobs revolution but they didn’t tell anyone it would be exported, and it all amounts to broken promises to workers who needed these yards to be thriving instead of dying.
“The fabrication contracts for NNG, just like those on the Seagreen project, will be manufactured by the rest of the world. Two projects worth a total of £5 billion, requiring 168 turbine jackets to power our future, and not even one will be built in Scotland – everyone needs to let that sink in.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said :“Without majority shareholder investment in the company or yards we have exhausted the options for what financial support we can provide legally.
“We will continue to do everything possible to support the business.”