Tugmen talks put port action at anchor

A THREAT to close the Shetland oil port of Sullom Voe has been averted for at least a month after 11th-hour talks between unions and the local authority.

This month the 48 tugmen employed by Shetland Islands Council voted to take industrial action that would have shut the port next week, after the authority tried to impose jobs cuts and new working conditions to save money.

However, yesterday union officials spoke with SIC chief executive Alistair Buchan and the newly appointed director of infrastructure Phil Crossland and both sides agreed to extend discussions for 28 days.

In August, the council had imposed a 90-day consultation on cutting 16 tugmen’s jobs, with remaining staff working longer shifts with a new “on call” system. The move angered the tugmen, who voted 98 per cent in favour of industrial action to fight the proposal. This week they agreed that action would include measures that would have closed the port to all tanker traffic from 6 October.

The tugmen want to be involved directly in talks about the future of the port, which is looking to save money as traffic declines with the reduction in North Sea oil production.

However, the oil industry does not want involvement in such negotiations and the council is insistent on saving money and continuing to generate an annual income of £4 million from the commercial operation.

The port’s main source of revenue is now the Loch Rannoch shuttle tanker that brings oil from BP’s Schiehallion field west of Shetland to the BP-operated oil terminal at Sullom Voe.

After yesterday’s talks John Taylor, the Aberdeen-based regional organiser for the tugmen’s union Unite, said: “We have agreed to extend the period for taking industrial action by 28 days and they have agreed to extend the notice to change of contracts by 28 days.”

The council was unavailable for comment.