Cuts to coastguard officer pay could “destroy” island safety nets and drive out volunteers, politicians and campaigners have warned.
The warning follows a controversial decision by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to scrap hourly payments for Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) – trained, on-call volunteers who are the frontline during maritime emergencies.
Volunteers historically received hourly remuneration – currently £11 an hour – for emergency callouts and training exercises around the UK’s coast.
But they are now facing the removal of payments by the MCA beginning in September after the Court of Appeal ruled volunteers are legally classified employees entitled to a minimum wage.
Union leaders, politicians and veteran coastguard officers have warned the cuts will pose a serious threat to island communities, where isolation means help cannot be brought in from elsewhere.
Frontline staff have expressed anger over a lack of consultation by the MCA – with around half of those surveyed in the Northern Isles saying they would reduce their hours or leave if the call-out pay was scrapped.
‘It makes me feel sick’
STV NewsJohn Webster is a retired Coastguard sector manager on Shetland, with over three decades served in search and rescue.
He says he is “absolutely disgusted” by the plans.
“The implications are fairly severe; we could be losing quite a number of experienced coastguard officers.
“What they’ve got to realise is that the Coastguard Rescue officers are actually the backbone of the Coastguard Service, and without them, there is no Coastguard Service. I hate to think of what it would be like if we didn’t have them.”
Mr Webster highlighted the immense commitment of the volunteer crews.
STV News“These guys turn out no matter what – if somebody goes over the cliffs or goes missing, water rescues, helping other emergency services like to the police, the the fire service, the ambulance service. To treat them like they are nobody makes me feel sick.
“This is just being implemented without their consultation, without any input from them. The MCA needs to get their act together and start consulting with them.”
The GMB union, which represents some of the rescue officers, has written to the MCA to demand the release of any risk assessments conducted before the decision to scrap remuneration was made.
iStockNicola Savage, GMB National Officer, said: “These savage cuts look like they will have a massive impact on coastguard numbers.
“Did the MCA consider the dangers that might cause to people’s safety before ploughing ahead?
“The public has a right to know.”
It comes after a survey of MCA staff revealed that if call-out pay cuts proceed, at least 40% of volunteers in Scotland will either cut back or leave the service entirely.
In isolated areas, such as Shetland and Orkney, that figure rises to nearly 50%.
‘A generation to rebuild’
STV NewsOrkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has warned that removing remuneration will decimate the safety of those in isolated northern communities.
“For island communities and coastal communities, this is a critically important service. Destroy this, and it could be a generation before we are able to rebuild it again.
“If you’ve got a problem in Shetland, then you need to have that homegrown resilience. In Shetland, that homegrown resilience is the coastguard volunteers. That’s why it matters to us more than it matters to anyone else.”
He says that, while the mainland can call in rescue staff from neighbouring areas, remote islands will be left far more at risk.
“A plan that doesn’t actually maintain a healthy number of volunteers in every coastal and island community in the country is not a plan at all. That’s why this has got to be paused and rethought.”
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “We deeply value and recognise the significant service Coastguard Rescue Officers provide along our coastline.
“We have already been in discussions with PCS – the official trade union representatives for HM Coastguard – over the proposed changes in the Coastguard Rescue Service. We have also been approached by GMB Union and will be engaging with them to try and agree a way forward that does not go against our current recognition agreements.”
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