Lerwick among 580 coastguard stations backing MCA no confidence vote
LERWICK’s coastguard team are among almost 600 stations who have called for a vote of no confidence in the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) chief executive.
The GMB union wrote to MCA chairman Lord Stevens in July to formally express its lack of confidence in the leadership of the chief executive Virginia McVea.
Since then, 580 coastguard stations across the UK have signed up to the no confidence vote.
The GMB Union has confirmed that Lerwick was one of those to back the vote of no confidence against McVea.
It comes one month after planned cuts to payments for coastguard volunteers were paused by the UK Government, in what was hailed as a “major win” for rescue officers.
The hugely unpopular changes had been due to come into force in September.
Following a legal ruling the UK Government-funded MCA had planned to stop coastguard rescue volunteers claiming around £11 per hour for callouts and attending training exercises.
The news was met with widespread condemnation, particularly in Shetland, and there were also major concerns about safety if volunteers were to quit.
Shetland’s MP Alistair Carmichael said the changes risked “hollowing out a crucial emergency service” and leaving islands like Shetland with no volunteer coastguard officers.
He added he was “angry” and “offended” by the plans, which he called “fundamentally disrespectful” of coastguard volunteers.
GMB said that Lord Stevens had not responded to them as yet, with the union now writing a further letter to him to “formally escalate the concerns previously raised”.
Coastguards are calling for an expression of no confidence, an independent review into leadership culture, the chance to submit evidence to the review and a clear timetable for responding to concerns raised.
GMB national officer Nicola Savage said: “These life-saving workers have already told Lord Stevens in no uncertain terms they are unhappy with the chief exec.
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“It’s pretty disrespectful they haven’t yet had a response – but hopefully the hundreds of signatures on the vote of no confidence might give him a bit of a nudge.
“Coastguards give their time, skills and even risk their lives to keep people safe.
“They need to know their boss is right behind them – and after the shambles of the renumeration payments, that’s just not how they feel about Ms McVea.”
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