More jobs to go at Bristow Helicopters

BRISTOW Helicopters have confirmed that the company is seeking to make twelve redundancies among pilots at their Shetland and Norwich bases, which are serving the oil and gas industry.

This latest round of redundancies comes in addition to the loss of twelve Bristow engineering posts at Shetland and Aberdeen, announced last month.

A spokesman for the company said that Bristow Helicopters hoped it could avoid compulsory redundancies.

“Due to our clients’ reduced activity levels in oil and gas, brought about by the ongoing downturn, a reduction of up to 12 pilot positions operating out of our Shetland and Norwich bases is being considered,” he said.

“We are in early consultations with BALPA and are keen to mitigate the effect of these reductions – with the hope that we can avoid the need for any redundancies.

“These options include potential reduced hours and part-time working, as well as voluntary severance.”

But pilot union BALPA described the latest round of redundancies as “another terrible blow”.

National officer Mick Brade said that by supporting the “Bristow helicopter community”, the union hoped to be able to protect as many jobs as possible while ensuring “flight safety is not jeopardised”.

“The UK helicopter community has had to endure round after round of redundancies in the last few years,” he said.

“BALPA is doing all it can to save as many jobs as possible and to protect the people for whom this is a personal tragedy.”

“BALPA representatives have already begun a period of consultation with the company.

“We have been able to agree to explore options for part time working that could reduce the need to let people go, and to seek volunteers for redundancy.

“We are focusing on supporting the Bristow helicopter community, protecting as many jobs as possible and working to ensure flight safety is not jeopardised.”