SERCO closes Brora operation with loss of 21 jobs

31st July 2014

Area Leader Deirdre Mackay said, ‘I was absolutely shocked to hear this news which came out of the blue. It is a tragedy for anyone to lose their job, and 21 jobs under any circumstance is significant but in a community such as ours, where opportunities are so limited, this is truly devastating.

There are 2 issues here, one being the immediate support required for the workforce and the second being the economic situation in Sutherland.

‘Highland Council and HIE, given the opportunity, would have been happy to work with SERCO. I believe it would have been appropriate, and a courtesy to those involved, to have had the opportunity to discuss the situation before now. It has long been trailed that the new technologies will be game changers for rural communities such as ours, that IT will open up new opportunities, but here we see a big national firm, which makes its money through public sector contracts, electing to walk away from a workforce which has served them well and to centralise their business in Glasgow. This is a real David and Goliath story and the offer of relocation to Glasgow speaks for itself.

‘It would however be helpful, even at this late stage, for SERCO to have discussions with Highland Council, HIE and the local members to look at how the skills and strengths of the workforce may be utilised. The workforce in Glasgow is different from the workforce in Brora. It is well known that our experienced local staff have life skills, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude to what they do, they also provide a loyal and stable workforce, qualities which is not readily available in cities where staff tend to be young and quickly move on.

‘It is vital that the PACE* initiative is implemented quickly to support employees plan for their future and I have been speaking to both HIE and the Council to ensure there are no delays. This is set however against a climate where jobs are thin on the ground so it is important that the net is cast as wide as possible in the contact center sector to determine what potential exists.

In relation to the second point: ‘Within a short period of time, within 3 small communities, within a 40 mile radius Sutherland has lost not far off 100 valuable jobs.

‘Recent research into the cost of living crisis showed East Sutherland to be one of the worst affected areas. Recent research into the effects of welfare reform shows East Sutherland as the second worst affected in Highland.
‘Sometimes I get angry, and this is one such time, about the level of political attention afforded to Sutherland. Yet, if we look at the islands, taking Shetland as an example, where the biggest current problem is a shortage of labour, national politicians clamber over themselves to pledge even more support and attention. Where is the fairness and where is the balance in that? What this means is that economic opportunities are being lost not only for Sutherland but other similar mainland rural communities.

‘In Sutherland we have an outstanding location and we have talented people, what is missing is the political will to recognise our challenges and provide the support we require.

‘In terms of sustainable employment it is imperative that the needs, challenges and opportunities of the area are examined in a way that identifies real options. I have asked for an early meeting to be set up with my ward colleagues, HIE, HC and UHI in order that we can get things moving.

‘ We require action now. I am writing to the Minister Derek MacKay seeking to accelerate a meeting and will also be writing to the MSPs and MP covering this area.

*Pace team PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) is the Scottish Government's national strategic partnership framework for responding to redundancy situations.

Brora has seen decline in recent years with one its biggest companies Hunter's of Brora closing in 2003 with the loss at that time of 26 jobs, in itself a reduction from earlier days after 100 years of production.

The factory that was built was heavily subsidised by public funding in an attempt to revive the cloth industry there. It was subsequently sold to a local firm who in turn also went into liquidation.