Baker Hughes workers vote for strike action after firm accused of 'laying waste to Scottish jobs'

Baker Hughes workers have voted to take national strike action after hundreds of staff were issued redundancy notices and offered new contracts on reduced terms.

Unite the union announced on Friday that 110 workers at Baker Hughes had overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action.

It comes after the US based company told 250 workers at its Angus sites on Charleton Road and Forties Industrial Estate on Brent Avenue they had to sign new contracts or face losing their jobs.

Unite accused the oil and gas firm, who employ around 500 workers, of “laying waste to Scottish jobs”.

It was revealed that the company, who had a recent £31m investment in its subsea centre of excellence, could wipe 29% of annual wages from remaining staff members using “fire and rehire” tactics.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s growing membership at Baker Hughes are prepared to take the company head-on to protect their jobs, pay and conditions.

“They will have their union’s full support in this fight.

“Boardroom greed by oil and gas businesses like Baker Hughes is nothing new but even this billion dollar company’s proposals to cut pay by £10,000 is a new low for an industry plagued by corporate callousness.”

George Ramsay, Unite industrial officer said: “Unite’s members are rightly enraged by the scandalous fire and rehire tactics deployed Baker Hughes.

“They have emphatically voted for strike action because at any time standing to lose a third of your income is disastrous never mind during the worst cost of living crisis in a generation.

“Our members are determined to fight this corporate bully, and we want the public in Angus to support us in this battle.”