UK Minister Brands Oil Worker Discrimination as Misguided

UK Minister Brands Oil Worker Discrimination as Misguided
A UK Minister has described instances of discrimination against oil and gas workers by potential employers as a 'misguided' approach.

A UK Minister has described instances of discrimination against oil and gas workers by potential employers as a ‘misguided’ approach.

The comment comes after Gillian Martin MSP, a member of Holyrood’s Oil and Gas cross party committee, wrote to Employment Minister Damian Hinds about the issue in February. Many workers were said to have sent Martin examples of job advertisements which specifically called for no applications from former oil and gas workers.

“My officials have discussed this issue with local JobCentre Plus officials who have confirmed that they have also come across some examples of this practice during the current low-oil price downturn but consider them to be isolated instances and not the widespread practice of employers in the region,” UK Minister for Small Business, Consumers & Corporate Responsibility Margot James MP said in a statement.

“I believe the reluctance by employers to consider this highly skilled and motivated workforce to be misguided because I know that their skillsets are respected both across the UK and around the world,” James added.

Martin said she now plans to write to the UK Government with further examples of the correspondence she has received from across the North East.

“I am pleased the issue which I highlighted last month has been acknowledged by the UK Government,” Aberdeenshire East MSP, Gillian Martin, said in a statement.

“There does not seem to be the sufficient legislation in place to protect workers – across all sectors – from potential discrimination,” she added.



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