Bruce meets shipping minister to seek coastguard dispute assurances

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 25th Jul 2007

Mr Bruce was part of a delegation speaking to the Shipping Minister Jim Fitzpatrick about the coastguard industrial dispute

Gordon MP Malcolm Bruce today (Tuesday) met with Shipping Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick in the Houses of Parliament to discuss the ongoing coastguard dispute.

Mr Bruce whose constituency includes part of the Aberdeenshire coastline said:

"The coastguard agency is a much valued and trusted service in our part of the world so it is disappointing and worrying that the current industrial dispute is starting to have an impact on morale.

"Three independent studies now indicate that coastguards are paid substantially less for comparable work done by fire, police and ambulance officers. Given this it seems only fair that that the coastguard's claims for fair pay should be properly addressed."

"The minister was prepared to listen to our concerns and I hope he will engage fully in this dispute which has rumbled on for too long now. I shall continue to work with colleagues in Westminster to pursue this matter."

The delegation was led by Liberal Democrat Scottish spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP who added:

"There has been a failure to address properly the coastguard's claims for fair pay. We have had three studies which have all concluded that coastguards are paid substantially less for comparable work done by fire, police and ambulance officers.

"The coastguard agency now has a new Chief Executive. We were able to stress to the minister that while this offers an opportunity to draw a line under the failures of the past, it could not be an excuse for further delay."

ENDS