A trade union boss has suggested creating a โjob shareโ scheme to help safeguard North Sea oil industry workersโ positions until offshore activity ramps up next year.
North-east energy sector chiefs largely welcomed an extension of the UK Government furlough scheme, but cautioned it may do little to roll back the tide of oil and gas redundancies.
Any moves to scale back the UK Government furlough scheme would be โabsolutely disastrousโ for the North Sea oil and gas sector, an Aberdeen union boss has warned.
The UKโs Job Retention Scheme has proved a lifeline for many employers and a way to ensure employment is protected while oil and gas firms deal with the double hit of Covid-19 and the drastic fall in oil price. The uptake figures demonstrate the need for the scheme, with over nine million people in the UK expected to be furloughed, yet the decisions to furlough staff have often been made quickly with little planning for the scheme ending.
Many North Sea oil and gas firms are currently โtornโ between protecting the long-term sustainability of their business and supporting those staff whose jobs were connected to now delayed or cancelled projects, according to an Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) boss.
A trio of offshore unions are in disagreement with Petrofac after workers were left without answers on being granted the governmentโs coronavirus furlough scheme.
A number of workers for an Aberdeen-headquartered oilfield equipment firm have been terminated following the companyโs decision to furlough hundreds of staff.