Job cuts loom at Scatsta Airport
Rosalind Griffiths
Scatsta Airport is likely to cut its staff by at least 25 per cent by the end of the year due to the offshore industry reducing its North Sea operations following last year’s fall in oil price.
Airport operators Serco confirmed they have begun a consultation with its workforce at Scatsta and blamed the move on a “reduction in offshore activity” as a result of a “declining oil price”.
Any cuts are likely to be achieved by making some of the 107 staff redundant and moving others into different roles.
The move comes after Bristow Helicopters announced it was going to cut 130 jobs in Shetland and Aberdeen, and was in consultation with staff.
In the past 20 years Scatsta has seen a rapid growth in traffic due to the increase in offshore activity, notably in the East Shetland Basin.
The airport was refurbished around five years ago with a new terminal, control tower, hangar and navigational aids.
But there have been job losses since the fall in the oil price, and fewer flights due to a change in shift patterns, changing from two weeks on and three weeks off to three weeks on and three weeks off.
Additionally, Shell, Petrofac and Inquest are due to stop flying offshore workers in helicopters from Shetland later this year and will no longer use the airport. However, BP is still committed to using Scatsta.
Staff members are being asked to take voluntary redundancy wherever possible. Some are being redeployed in the airport or in other Serco workplaces, and some are being retrained in other roles.
Local councillor and SIC development committee chairman Alastair Cooper said there was an impression that the Shetland economy was buoyant, but the bubble would burst and he was concerned for local folk who work at Scatsta. He said he had heard, although not officially, that between 25 and 30 jobs would be lost at Scatsta.
He said: “It will be a serious loss to the community, they’re all local well paid jobs. There’s a feelgood factor in Shetland at the moment, but I suspect by Christmas there will be a number of pay-offs once Petrofac finishes at Shetland Gas Plant.”
Gordon Harmer
Who paid for the new hanger, tower and terminal building?
David Spence
Serco, they are like a cancer………….they are spreading everywhere………..I am now totally convinced that the vile Tories are most definitely in bed with them. lol
John Tulloch
Very profound, David, thank you.
Gordon Harmer
David how is the downturn in the price of oil anything to do with the Tories or Serco for that matter?
iantinkler
Goodness me, after an amoral fling with the SNP, getting Northlink as a “love child” Serco now get into bed with the Vile Tories!! Quite what that has to do the drop in oil price is a bit beyond me, must be a socialist thing. I am sure David Spence can explain. lol
David Spence
No Ian, it is not a socialist thing (although Serco trying to take over everything may give this impression lol) but one has to question why the vile Tories are giving this one and only company so much government contracts, whether it be military, hospitality industry, medical industry and now the oil industry.
The portfolio this company allegedly has does bring into question what exactly is the relationship between Serco and the vile Conservatives.
Gordon, I am not so sure……….even if the value of oil fluctuated from high to low, this Government would still dish out any Government contract to this company………………It seems very evident that a company which has dominated the military or all military forces/services should suddenly start to get contracts which has no baring at all to this of the MOD.
One should question very much why it is one company is dominating so much when it comes to contracts the vile Tories are giving, especially when breaches in the tendering processes are involved.
Is Serco proving to be the ‘ Jack of All Trades, but the Master of none ‘?
Gordon Harmer
David it is the Scottish government who are dishing out contracts to Serco in Scotland not Westminster, does this imply the SNP are vile as well as the Tories. Oh and by the way I am beginning to take umbridge at you constantly calling Tories vile; being a Tory myself.
David Spence
Well Gordon, we all have our cross to bear. lol
I will continue to describe the vile Tories as vile (one could most certainly use far worse alternative words)…….because everything about the meaning of the word fits exactly with what the vile Tories are.
They are a selfish, self-centred, uncaring, divisive and all the other words which describe the negative aspects of human nature to which the ideology, Capitalism (the man-made concept of monetary wealth and greed) they worship, adore and promote for the minority to the detriment of the majority.
If the circumstances are based on gaining profit by destroying whatever it may be, then this is not any philosophy or guidance I would condone or support at any cost. If anything, I would do my utmost to destroy or eliminate such a parasite from society. I would also encourage as many people as is possible to fight and to destroy such parasitic mentality and actions thereof. Society, as is being proven today, is very much worse off under the guise of Capitalism (the so-called Banking Crisis (Banks being the pinnacle of a capitalist based social system) and the ramifications from it) ………………..to which the vile Tories encourage purely for their own selfish greed, and to support their equally vile associates to the detriment of this country, and beyond.
Gordon Harmer
Well David the cross I do not have to bear is on of being infantile. You are entitled to your view but I wonder what the moderator of this web site would do if I were to refer to the vile David Spence every time I answered you on here; something I would not do by the way. You seem to be so consumed in your hatred of the Tories you omitted to comment on what else I said. “David it is the Scottish government who are dishing out contracts to Serco in Scotland not Westminster, does this imply the SNP are vile as well as the Tories”.
Alvin Leong
Good, Shetland had it too good for far too long, thinking that oil it has can solve all problems. The bursting of this bubble is way overdue. With luck, this will bring Shetland in line with the rest of the country along with the pain. I had seen this coming for a when now, I just had not expected it to actually arrive this year.
Ali Inkster
You really do sound quite bitter Alvin, as if you don’t like Shetland very much. I wonder what it is that keeps you here?
Alvin Leong
The good thing with the Internet is one does not need to actually be in Shetland to see the bubble burst and watch it sink.
joe johnson
David Spence,
I read your views on Capitalism and how you don’t like it. But what would like this country to be under? Communism? Dictatorship? National Socialism? Strict Islamic Shari Law? You are entitled to your views but I can think of worse things in life then capitalism. We live in a society where there freedon and democracy. You get your pro’s and con’s where ever you go but we should be grateful we live in a free country.
David Spence
I suspect you objected to the minimum wage, Joe……..just like the vile Tories did? As for the Living Wage they say they will introduce……….time shall tell.
I also expect that you approve of third world countries denied the ability to export their own produce due to a corrupt World Trade Organisation dominated by the USA (unless it is US or the more developed countries exporting from such third world countries) I suspect you approve of slave labour factories in third world countries as a source of cheap labour, I suspect you approve of the military having a strong hold in the decision of economic and industrial Foreign Policies within the US, as well as other developed countries and so on and so on.
We may be under the impression we are ‘ free ‘ but I would certainly question the true definition of what this is, in light of recent events like 9/11, 7/7 and other terrorist attacks within Europe which, according to the Government controlled media, are done in the name of destroying our freedom, liberty and movements by terrorists.
Joe, did you approve the USA allowing certain events to happen in Boston, New York and other cities in the N/E of the USA, to campaign to gain finances for the IRA during the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s…..present day?
Joe, I suspect you support the USA and its campaign of weapons manufacturing in aid to either itself or other countries which are run and supported by the USA by corrupt, dictatorial regimes which regularly torture and murder its own citizens as a means of total control of its populations.
As said previously, the USA is 4.5% of the worlds population, but consumes 31% of all global resources, 37% of all fossil fuels and produces 25% of all pollution………………….is this really the true face of Capitalism, where self, self and more self is the bedrock to a society?????
All what has been said is being done in the name of Capitalism…………….hooray.
joe johnson
Interesting views David Spence,
It’s not a perfect world we live in and never will be. But one things for sure. I would not want to live in a society where there is no freedom or democracy. Communism, dictatorship, National Socialism, Strict Islamic Shari Law has oppressed and had millions of people killed! Name me a better society to live under? As I said earlier you get your pro’s and con’s where ever you go and I’m afraid it’s a imperfect we live in and always will be.