Workers from engineering firm BiFab held a demonstration in Edinburgh.
Union leaders are bound for Canada for a showdown with the new owners of Fife fabrication group BiFab.
GMB Scotland Secretary Gary Smith and Unite counterpart Pat Rafferty will meet with senior managers of DF Barnes for a face-to-face update on plans to reinvigorate BiFab’s yards at Methil, Burntisland and at Arnish on the Isle of Lewis.
Workers look out over the yard at BiFab in Methil.
The company has shrunk to just a handful of maintenance staff after its near collapse into administration last year.
“Our number one priority for months has been not just the rescue of a company but the employment of people in Fife and in Lewis,” Mr Smith and Mr Rafferty said in a joint statement.
From left: Pat Rafferty of Unite with Sean Powers, VP of Business Development at DF Barnes, Jason Fudge CEO of DF Barnes, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, Chuck Saunders CFO of JV Driver and Martin Adam Director of BiFab, after the Canadian group’s takeover of BiFab was completed in April.
“We remain optimistic the outlook for restoring significant levels of employment at the BiFab yards is achievable, if work can be secured.
“The new owners, alongside the Scottish Government, need to work with us to build trust through regular and meaningful dialogue on the future.”
