Fitters' double money in oil
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HOURLY wage rates for some skilled fitters in oil related industries are almost double those for bus fitters in the Aberdeen area — resulting in a chronic shortage of fitters. Grampian Region pays fitters £69.31 for a basic 40-hour week, including incentive bonus (approximately £1.73 per hour), while local Scottish Bus Group subsidiary Alexander (Northern) pays £76 (£1.90 per hour).
A typical job for skilled fitters in oil-related work pays £3.33 per hour.
Opportunities for overtime in both bus undertakings are limited — Grampian deputy director of public transportation Charles Parslow said that productivity fell away after a given amount of overtime was worked — but the oil job has an 84-hour week with one week off in every three.
The situation is worsened by a shortage of housing in the area. Potential bus fitters must wait at least 18 months for a local authority house.
A motion before Grampian Council calls for the provision of outside accommodation to attract staff.
At present, Grampian has 25 fitters doing the work of 40 and is finding the vacancies more and more difficult to fill. A Northern spokesman said: "We certainly could recruit more fitters, but our shortage is not so severe."
The Grampian problem has been aggravated by a yearlong delay in the delivery of 20 Leyland Atlantean doubledeckers. Last year it was obliged to buy 12 secondhand vehicles.