Latest news with #DerekThomson
The Herald Scotland
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Unite says 1600 Scots jobs at risk if government doesn't act
Under the consultation, Alexander Dennis will put its UK bus body manufacturing operations into a single site in Scarborough, England. Its Scottish based manufacturing in Falkirk, which has already been reduced in recent years, would be discontinued and the site closed. And production lines at Larbert would be suspended upon the completion of current contracts. But Unite has warned that there would be wider consequences for associated jobs from the loss of ADL to Scotland and that government should act to invest even more into the company "in the national interest". ADL cited strong competition from the China, which has seen its market share grow from 10% to 35%, among its reasons for the move. The firm also criticised UK policy, and called for jobs and local economic benefit to be factored in when taxpayers money is invested. The Herald on Sunday revealed yesterday that £90m of public money has gone to Britain's biggest coach builder to support Scottish jobs, before it embarked on the plan to move operations to England. It emerged that Scottish Enterprise ploughed over £30m of taxpayers money into ADL to support research and development alone and included millions after it began a programme of drastic headcount cuts five years ago. It emerged that the plans to leave Scotland came despite the First Minister intervening a year ago after getting wind of potential redundancies and suggested "further capital support" while he "advised and asked" that the government's economic development agency Scottish Enterprise "exhaust all options to support the business". It came after the Scottish Government was being criticised for the levels of support for bus manufacturing. (Image: NQ) At least £11.2m of the jobs grants from Scottish Enterprise came three years after concerns were raised over ADL embarking on an earlier 2020 plan to axe a third of its Scottish workforce. At that point it had already received over £8m in 'job securing' taxpayer funding which helped support building a new greener business in Scotland. It led to calls for action to be taken to claw the money back. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------READ MORE by Martin Williams -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unite warned that for every job in bus manufacturing, it is estimated that there is a multiplier of three to four jobs in the wider supply chain and support services. It estimates that the closure announcement on this basis puts up to 1,600 jobs at risk in the wider Falkirk and Grangemouth area. Derek Thomson, Unite Scottish secretary said; 'The potential closure of the Camelon [Falkirk] and Larbert sites by Alexander Dennis cannot be allowed to happen. Scottish and UK governments ministers must explore every option to maintain bus manufacturing in Scotland. It is time for action and intervention.' 'Thousands of highly skilled jobs across the central belt are being lost and government must not sit on the sidelines while people and communities are being ripped apart. 'Scotland is on the brink of possessing no strategic manufacturing base to speak of with huge swathes of our nation being turned into industrial wastelands.' According to the union, the workforce was at 700 in 2008 before job cuts reduced the headcount to 540. And in September, 2024, the headcount was further reduced to around 400 following redundancies and retirement. Mr Thomson added: 'We need to build our own green buses, or we will end up importing them all from China. This is exactly what is unfolding at Grangemouth following the oil refinery closure. The message from government appears to be that Scotland is closed for business and open only for imports.' "Government can act as an investor of first resort in cases where it's in the national interest such as Alexander Dennis. Upgrades to the facilities could also help capture a larger share of the market.' 'Ministers urgently need to work with Alexander Dennis and stakeholders such as Unite to secure orders and bring forward plans which can secure the long-term future of the sites.' The relationship between Alexander Dennis and the SNP can be traced back to 2013 when then First Minister Alex Salmond and then deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon used its Falkirk base to launch the economic case for Scottish independence. In 2016, £7.3m in taxpayer's cash was given to Alexander Dennis which was closely linked with major SNP donor and Scottish tycoon Sir Brian Souter, despite having recorded an £18.5m profit the previous year. Sir Brian SouterLast week the First Minister faced criticism from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who claimed his government had ordered more buses from China than it had from ADL. Mr Swinney said most bus ordering decisions in Scotland were made by private operators, and the government had to comply with state subsidy rules in the way it supported businesses. He quoted a joint letter from the UK and Scottish governments, which pledged to "work closely with Alexander Dennis at this challenging time". And he said that state aid regulations - in the form of the UK-wide Subsidy Control Act - prevented the government from directly procuring from a single supplier. "We are going to do everything we can to find a way through the Subsidy Control Act provision, so the government can continue to work within the law, and so we can support manufacturing in Scotland," he said. Sharon Graham Unite general secretary added: 'The announcement by Alexander Dennis to close its operations at Falkirk and Larbert is devastating. 'It is the latest huge economic blow to hit local communities on the back of the Grangemouth oil refinery closing. 'Hundreds of highly-skilled jobs are being lost and government ministers are guilty of sitting idly by while people and communities are being ripped apart. They will not be forgiven for their inaction and silence.' Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'The absolute focus right now is on supporting Alexander Dennis Ltd its workforce, as well as the families and communities they support. We also recognise the significance of the company within the local economy and across the wider supply chain. 'The Scottish Government has committed to exploring all viable options throughout the consultation period to allow the firm to retain their hard-working employees and manufacturing and production facilities at Falkirk and Larbert. 'We will continue to work in close collaboration with the company, trade unions, Scottish Enterprise, Transport Scotland and the UK Government.' Alexander Dennis was approached for comment.
Scottish Sun
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Hundreds of jobs face risk at major Scots firm – with ‘400 more axed every two weeks' warning
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HUNDREDS of Scots oil and gas jobs are set to be axed - with the worst to come. Trade union bosses warn that over 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Petroineos oil refinery site in Grangemouth is set to close completely Credit: Getty 3 Unite union are urging both governments to speed up the process to transform the site Credit: PA The contractors provide several critical support services between Grangemouth and Mossanman chemical factory in Cowdenbeath. The Fife-based complex consists of two neighbouring plants: the Fife Natural Gas Liquids (FNGL) Plant operated by Shell U.K. Limited and the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) operated by ExxonMobil Chemical Limited. Altrad blames the cuts on a work slowdown and ExxonMobil's cost-saving measures. Union bosses are now warning of an 'avalanche' of redundancies, with up to 400 jobs disappearing every fortnight from the sector. At least 98 jobs are already being slashed at Mossmorran, while other contractors Bilfinger, is dropping 10 roles, and Kaefer is cutting 55. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham slammed the UK and Scottish governments for failing to protect workers, saying: 'This is an unfolding jobs crisis in Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'They're accelerating huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' A damning report from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen has revealed the workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every fortnight for the next five years. The UK's oil and gas workforce is estimated to have declined by around 5,000 jobs, from 120,000 in 2023 to around 115,000 in 2024. It said in 'low-case scenarios', where the UK makes 'slower progress' as the country transitions towards renewable energy, jobs in the oil and gas workforce would further drop from 115,000 at present to 'as low as 57,000 by the early 2030s'. Grangemouth was doomed from the moment closure was raised, admits Scotland Secretary An impact assessment by PWC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3,000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. Earlier this year, ministers floated nine options for Grangemouth's future, but warned it would take £35 billion of private investment to turn it into a green energy hub. The Project Willow document says SAF operations would commence in 2035, with a capital expenditure of up to £2.1 billion required. Up to 270 staff would run the plant. Unite wants the government to fast-track projects like transforming Grangemouth into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production hub, but says the lack of action is causing a 'domino effect' of job losses across the supply chain. Unite's Scottish secretary Derek Thomson said: 'Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' A UK Government spokesperson said: 'We have taken rapid steps to deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers in a fair and orderly transition as part of our Plan for Change, including by making the biggest investment in offshore wind and two first-of-a-kind carbon capture storage clusters. 3 Over 140 contractors are set to lose their jobs by the end of the month Credit: Alamy 'This comes alongside Great British Energy, headquartered in Aberdeen, which has already announced a £300 million investment into British supply chains, unlocking significant investment and helping to create thousands of skilled jobs.' A spokesman for the refinery's owners Petroineos previously said: 'The publication of the first Project Willow report is a milestone event for Grangemouth that could mark the beginning of a transformation for the whole cluster and, in time, create many more jobs and growth opportunities across a variety of related industries in Scotland.'
The National
04-06-2025
- Business
- The National
More than 140 jobs at Fife chemical plant face redundancy
Unite the union has said the oil and gas industry in Scotland is being hit by an 'avalanche' of job losses as hundreds of Grangemouth and Mossmorran-based contractors face unemployment in the coming weeks. More than 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June, the union has warned. Altrad held a number of contracts and undertook several critical support services at the refinery, including access, thermal insulation and protective coatings. READ MORE: Britain was 'extension of Scotland', suggest medieval texts uncovered by historian The firm has also announced at least 98 redundancies at the Mossmorran site, claiming a downturn in work and cost savings being imposed by ExxonMobil for the decision. Further job losses at Mossmorran are also taking place with other contractors, as Bilfinger has issued 10 redundancy notices, while Kaefer is cutting 55 jobs. Sharon Graham (below), Unite's general secretary, has called on the UK and Scottish governments to do more to help protect oil and gas workers. (Image: PA) She said: 'There is an avalanche of redundancies taking place across Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'Theses job losses highlight what Unite has been saying about the unfolding jobs crisis in the oil and gas industry. 'The reality is that the UK and Scottish governments are failing to protect thousands of jobs. Government policy is also accelerating these huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' The redundancies at Mossmorran follow a report by Robert Gordon University which warned that the UK oil and gas energy workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every two weeks for the next five years. An impact assessment by PwC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. (Image: free) In total, there are nine possible projects identified by Project Willow for the site. However, under Petroineos' proposals, most of these would not start for several years after the site had closed and jobs had been lost. Unite has argued that many of the identified projects could be fast-tracked and implemented immediately. The union has suggested that there could be a rapid move to convert the existing refinery into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel production hub. Derek Thomson, Unite's Scottish secretary, said that the job losses in Scotland's oil and gas industry are unnecessary and that there should be new energy projects underway to protect workers. He said: 'The historic end of oil refining at Grangemouth is now causing the widely predicted domino effect with hundreds of jobs being lost in the supply chain.' 'Mossmorran contractor jobs are also at risk which will add to the thousands of jobs lost, and the thousands more to come on the horizon. 'The job losses are unnecessary because there should be new energy projects underway like SAF production at Grangemouth. Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' The Scottish and UK governments have been approached for comment.
The National
04-06-2025
- Business
- The National
More than 140 jobs at Fife chemical plant to be made redundant
Unite the union has said the oil and gas industry in Scotland is being hit by an 'avalanche' of job losses as hundreds of Grangemouth and Mossmorran-based contractors face unemployment in the coming weeks. More than 140 jobs with the contractor Altrad, who provided operational support to the Petroineos oil refinery in Grangemouth, face losing their job at the end of June, the union has warned. Altrad held a number of contracts and undertook several critical support services at the refinery, including access, thermal insulation and protective coatings. READ MORE: Britain was 'extension of Scotland', suggest medieval texts uncovered by historian The firm has also announced at least 98 redundancies at the Mossmorran site, claiming a downturn in work and cost savings being imposed by ExxonMobil for the decision. Further job losses at Mossmorran are also taking place with other contractors, as Bilfinger has issued 10 redundancy notices, while Kaefer is cutting 55 jobs. Sharon Graham (below), Unite's general secretary, has called on the UK and Scottish governments to do more to help protect oil and gas workers. (Image: PA) She said: 'There is an avalanche of redundancies taking place across Scotland's oil and gas industry. 'Theses job losses highlight what Unite has been saying about the unfolding jobs crisis in the oil and gas industry. 'The reality is that the UK and Scottish governments are failing to protect thousands of jobs. Government policy is also accelerating these huge losses without any credible jobs plan in place.' The redundancies at Mossmorran follow a report by Robert Gordon University which warns that the UK oil and gas energy workforce could shrink by 400 jobs every two weeks for the next five years. An impact assessment by PWC found that the Grangemouth refinery made an economic contribution of £403.6m per annum, and almost 3000 workers were reliant on the refinery's operations. (Image: free) In total, there are nine possible projects identified by Project Willow for the site. However, under PetroIneos' proposals, most of these would not start for several years after the site had closed and jobs had been lost. Unite has argued that many of the identified projects could be fast-tracked and implemented immediately. The union has suggested that there could be a rapid move to convert the existing refinery into a Sustainable Aviation Fuel production hub. Derek Thomson, Unite's Scottish secretary, said that the job losses in Scotland's oil and gas industry are unnecessary and that there should be new energy projects underway to protect workers. He said: 'The historic end of oil refining at Grangemouth is now causing the widely predicted domino effect with hundreds of jobs being lost in the supply chain.' 'Mossmorran contractor jobs are also at risk which will add to the thousands of jobs lost, and the thousands more to come on the horizon. 'The job losses are unnecessary because there should be new energy projects underway like SAF production at Grangemouth. Scotland is in serious danger of losing thousands of highly skilled jobs while creating no new opportunities in greener industries for workers to transition into.' The Scottish and UK governments have been approached for comment.
Edmonton Journal
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
'It's like zen': Love of retro games takes over YEGPin Pinball & Arcade Expo
The pinball convention brings 300 machines into one space for all-you-can-play action From left, Derek Thomson, of Arkadium, retro arcade, and Scott Stinchcombe, event director of YEGPin pinball and arcade expo. YEGPin, is a pinball convention that will happen in Sherwood Park from May 15 to 18. Millenium Place in Sherwood Park is hosting the event that will feature 250 pinball machines and 50 classic arcades, pinball tournaments, cash prizes and custom trophies, and pinball machines on display and for sale. Photo by Shaughn Butts / Postmedia The little silver ball pings wildly, taking unpredictable bounces and ruining a perfect game. But it's the unpredictability of pinball, the fickle nature of physics and machines with quirks that keep Scott Stinchcombe and Derek Thomson coming back for more. The pair are organizers with YEGPin Pinball and Arcade Expo, the region's biggest pinball convention and tournament, May 15 to 18 at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors For the public it's a chance to see a wide gamut of pinball machines and try their hand at an arcade classic. Stinchcombe, the president of the Die Hard Pinball League and the Event Director for YEGPin, says nostalgia plays a big part, the arcade generation looking to capture part of their past and relive memories of dropping quarters into machines. There's also a younger audience who have never seen pinball wanting to try something different. For Stinchcombe pinball offers an ephemeral draw, a way of letting go of the outside world and focusing on the game in front of him. 'In pinball, you can play it all day for years and every time you will have a different game,' says Stinchcombe. 'It's like zen. It's a way of letting your mind relax, focus on the ball.' A pass to the show, starting at $30 for a one-day pass or $110 for the weekend, opens up the full play on any open machine for the entire day. No more loose change or disappointment when the quarters run out. Find a game you love? Spend the day learning the intricacies of the machine. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Because of the physical nature of pinball, each machine plays differently, where the ball bounces differently, the paddles move slightly differently, even the launch into play a little faster or a little slower. The ghost in the machine makes each unique. 'Certain aspects just put me in a good mood. Whenever I'm having a bad day, a hard day at work, I can go down and play a good game of pinball and everything goes away,' says Thomson. Getting those unique machines — nearly 300 in all — into Millennium Place is a major logistical challenge for Stinchcombe, Thomson and the YEGPin organizers. It requires equal measures of good planning and elbow grease, with each machine weighing anywhere from 200 to 500 pounds. Volunteers and technicians will test and repair any machines damaged during transport. Thomson and Stinchcombe will provide almost half of the pinball machines for YEGPin, with more than 100 coming from Thomson and 50 from Stinchcombe. Another 30 collectors will bring the remainder in batches or just one or two machines. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The full history of the hobby will be on display and available for play, from the hobby's earliest days to modern technological marvels. The electromechanical machines from the 1960s and early 1970s are simplistic, with a single level playing field and switches that can only register points once every second or two. The golden age of pinball, the late '70s and early '80s, called the solid-state era, started getting electronic scoring with a few machines capable of multi-ball play. The modern machines, heading into the LCD era that covers the newest machines, are more complex and often licensed from music groups, video games or movies. Major pinball tournaments, such as YEGPin, feature a mix of the eras, forcing serious competitors to learn the quirks of each and become proficient in any situation. While YEGPin is a much about drawing in new people interested in pinball, it's also a major competition for international pinball. Somewhere between 300 and 350 people from across North America and as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia will come to town to try their hand at competition. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Thomson, a long-time competitive pinball player who organized the first YEGPin, says strategy is important, knowing when to take safe shots and when to head for big risks that might lead to a bad bounce. 'The best analogy is poker. So you have all of the best poker players in the world. If you don't get the cards, you don't get the cards. It's the same thing in competition pinball,' says Thomson. 'Those are the things you learn over time, there are more skills you will learn: how to flip, how to take safe shots.' YEGPin will run a few different tournaments. In match play, competitors will go head-to-head trying to outdo one another. They will have only 30 seconds to practice on the machine, getting a feel for the speed of the ball before they put up their best numbers. There's also top score competitions, where competitors can buy multiple entries to really try to hone their skills on one machine and rack up high scores. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Now in its eighth year, the competitive side has grown in importance in the pinball world. Last year's tournament was the fourth-highest ranked competitive tournament in the world, a testament to the calibre of players making the trip and the size of the field. Tickets to the competitive side sold out in less than 24 hours. YEGPin will also have classic arcade games on site, as well as old standbys like skee-ball and basketball machines. The focus for most people will be the pinball machines, whether it's seasoned veterans coming to test their mettle or novices coming to learn about the hobby. YEGPin Pinball & Arcade Expo When: May 15 to 18 Where: Millennium Place, 2000 Premier Wway, Sherwood Park Tickets: Starting at $30, $17.50 for youth, available at Read More Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun. Sports Cult of Hockey Cult of Hockey Sports Cult of Hockey
