Fears For 130 Jobs At North Sea Helicopter Firm

Up to 130 jobs are under threat at a North Sea helicopter firm.

Bristow Helicopters has announced it is to make redundancies after being hit by the ongoing reduction of oil and gas activity''.

Up to 66 helicopter pilots and 64 other staff are likely to lose their jobs, the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) said.

Balpa, which is now entering into consultation with the company, said it will do all it can to save as many jobs as possible.

The jobs at risk are believed to be based in Aberdeen and Shetland.

A statement from Bristow said: Bristow Helicopters Ltd can confirm that its operations in the UK continue to be impacted due to the ongoing reduction of oil and gas activity in the North Sea, as our clients make permanent changes to their cost structure and operational practices.

The company has taken numerous measures to reduce costs by working closely with clients to improve operational efficiencies, eliminate discretionary spending, defer capital spend, and offer voluntary redundancy.

However, we have not been able to reach the level of cost reduction needed and approximately 130 personnel may be affected by redundancy in the UK.

The company is consulting with the trade unions and employees on these proposals.

Bristow is fully committed to ensuring the highest levels of safety standards are maintained throughout this difficult process.''

Balpa has called for a summit on North Sea jobs in light of the news on job losses.

General secretary, Jim McAuslan, said: This is devastating news for the Bristow community and Balpa is doing everything it can to support pilots who are affected.

This announcement reflects the collapse in the oil price and its impact on North Sea industry.

Pilots want to see that industry thrive again and ensure when it does, we have the skilled pilots and other workers available. We must now make certain that businesses all the way down the supply chain are not squeezed by the big oil and gas companies.

The Government needs to nurse the industry through this downturn so skills are not lost when the situation improves. Balpa is calling for a jobs summit with the Treasury, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Scottish Government and the Department for Transport to take stock of the situation.

This loss of experience is a major threat to the UK industry as well as a personal catastrophe for the individuals concerned.

Balpa will do all it can to protect pilots who are feeling the brunt of the downturn in the North Sea oil industry.''