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GMB Scotland Press for Proper Employment Status for HM Coastguard Rescue Workers

Monday, May 17, 2021

GMB Scotland press for proper employment status for 2,800 HM coastguard rescue workers in over 300 rescue stations around the UK  

GMB Scotland is pressing for proper employment status for more than 2,800 HM Coastguard rescue workers based at 310 rescue stations around the UK. About 900 of these workers are based in 116 rescue stations around the coast of mainland Scotland and the Islands. In the table below are the numbers of HM coastguard rescue workers by area across the UK, for a full list alphabetically by area of 310 coastguard rescue stations (see Notes to Editors). 

The duties of HM Coastguard rescue workers include help rescue people trapped on the coast, for example on cliffs, stuck in mud or in the water, search for missing people, report and deal with pollution and other hazards and help emergency services and local authorities during emergencies, for example flooding.  

These HM Coastguard rescue workers can be called out at any time of the day or night so they work irregular hours. They may have to work in hazardous situations for long hours and may have to carry out physically demanding tasks. 

HM Coastguard rescue worker can have other employment. Required skills include: first aid, water rescue, map work, search techniques, communications and skills needed in for local area, for example rope rescue, mud rescue etc. 

GMB Scotland is demanding that their status as workers is properly recognised and the work they do is properly valued and recognised. Like for other recent high profile workers in irregular employment across the UK the union is prepared to litigate to obtain justice for these brave men and women. 

Numbers of HM Coastguard rescue workers on irregular hours by Areas across the UK 

Area 1 Shetland & Orkney Islands 

137 

Area 2 North Scotland 

126 

Area 3 East Scotland 

97 

Area 4 Inner Clyde to River Tay and East Scottish Border 

134 

Area 5 North East England 

122 

Area 6 East of England (Yorkshire, Humberside & Lincolnshire) 

134 

Area 7 East Anglia 

155 

Area 8 South East England 

152 

Area 9 : Southern England including Isle of Wight 

202 

Area 10 : South West England 

175 

Area 11 : Cornwall including Isles of Scilly 

162 

Area 12 : North Devon including Severn Estuary 

176 

Area 13 : South East Wales to Mid-Wales 

203 

Area 14 : North West Wales 

162 

Area 15 : Great Orme to West Scottish Border including the Lakes 

152 

Area 16 : Solway to Firth of Clyde including Northern Ireland 

190 

Area 17 : Kintyre to Mull, Isle of Arran and Inner Hebrides 

159 

Area 18 : Loch Linnhe to Outer Hebrides including Skye & the Small Isles 

160 

 Gary Smith, GMB Scotland Secretary, said 

"These 2,800 brave men and women who work in all weathers to rescue people and save lives are denied even the most basic rights of respect and recognition by their employer HM Coastguard. 

"Staff with over 30 years experience are being axed without the basic right of being represented by their Union. The HM Coastguard rescue workers risk their lives to help and save others but are treated worse than any other Government worker. Urgent action needs to be taken to show respect for these unsung heroes. 

"The union is prepared to litigate for these workers, so they can be properly recognised as part of the HM Coastguard rescue workforce and to ensure their basic employment rights are respected."

End  

Contact: GMB Scotland Communications on 07976 447077 or email gmbscotcampaigns@gmb.org.uk  

 Notes to Editors  

Locations of the HM Coastguard Rescue Stations around the UK coast alphabetically by Area . A map with these locations is available on request.  

HM Coastguard Operation Bases 

 

Aberdeen 

Bangor (NI)  

Bideford 

Borth 

Bridlington 

Colchester 

Crosby 

Dover 

Falmouth 

Girvan 

Hartlepool 

Holyhead 

Inverness 

Kilkeel 

Kirkcudbright 

Kirkwall 

Newhaven 

Oban 

Port Edgar 

Southbourne 

Stornoway 

Swansea 

Tenby 

Torbay 

Weston-super-Mare 

Whitehaven 

Winfrith 

 

HM Coastguard Rescue Teams 

 

Area 1 Shetland & Orkney Islands 

Baltasound 

Bressay 

Fair Isle 

Hillswick 

Hoy 

Kirkwall 

Lerwick 

Mid Yell 

Sanday 

St Margarets Hope 

Stromness 

Sumburgh 

Walls 

Westray 

Whalsay 

 

Area 2 North Scotland 

Achiltibuie 

Applecross 

Cromarty 

Dornoch 

Duncansby Head 

Durness 

Gairloch 

Helmsdale 

Inverness   

Kinlochbervie 

Loch Ewe  

Lochinver 

Melness 

Melvich 

Scrabster 

Ullapool 

Wick 

 

Area 3 East Scotland 

Aberdeen 

Arbroath 

Banff 

Buckie  

Burghead  

Carnoustie 

Cruden Bay 

Fraserburgh 

Gordonstoun  

Montrose 

Nairn 

Peterhead 

Portsoy  

Stonehaven 

 

Area 4 Inner Clyde to River Tay and East Scottish Border 

Ardrossan 

Cumbrae 

Dunbar 

Dunoon 

Eyemouth 

Fisherrow 

Greenock 

Helensburgh 

Kames 

Kilcreggan 

Kinghorn 

Largs 

Leven 

North Berwick 

Rothesay 

South Queensferry 

St Andrews 

 

Area 5 North East England 

Amble 

Berwick 

Blyth 

Hartlepool 

Holy Island 

Howick 

Newbiggin 

Redcar 

Seaham 

Seahouses 

Staithes 

Sunderland 

Whitby 

 

Area 6 East of England (Yorkshire, Humberside & Lincolnshire) 

Bridlington 

Cleethorpes 

Donna Nook 

Easington 

Filey 

Hornsea 

Hull 

Mablethorpe 

Ravenscar 

Scarborough & Burniston 

Skegness 

Sutton Bridge 

Withernsea 

Wrangle 

 

Area 7 East Anglia 

Aldeburgh 

Bacton 

Canvey Island 

Clacton 

Cromer - Sheringham 

Felixtowe 

Gorleston 

Holbrook 

Hunstanton 

Lowestoft 

Shingle Street 

South Woodham Ferrers 

Southend 

Walton 

Wells 

West Mersea 

Winterton 

 

Area 8 South East England 

Bexhill 

Birling Gap 

Deal 

Dungeness 

Eastbourne 

Folkestone 

Hastings 

Herne Bay 

Langdon 

Littlehampton 

Margate 

Medway 

Newhaven 

Rye Bay 

Selsey 

Sheppey 

Shoreham 

 

Area 9 : Southern England including Isle of Wight 

Bembridge 

Hayling Island 

Hill Head 

Kimmeridge 

Lulworth 

Lyme Regis 

Lymington 

Needles 

Poole 

Portland Bill 

Portsmouth 

Southampton 

Southbourne 

St Albans 

Swanage 

Ventnor 

West Bay 

Wyke 

 

Area 10 : South West England 

Beer 

Berry Head 

Bigbury 

Dartmouth 

Exmouth 

Hope Cove 

Looe 

Mevagissey 

Plymouth 

Polruan 

Prawle 

St Austell 

Tamar 

Teignmouth 

Torbay 

Yealm 

 

Area 11 : Cornwall including Isles of Scilly 

Falmouth 

Land’s End 

Mullion Lizard 

Newquay 

Padstow 

Penzance 

Porthleven 

Porthoustock 

Portreath 

Portscatho 

St Agnes 

St Ives 

St Martin (Isles of Scilly) 

Tresco (Isles of Scilly) 

St Marys (Isles of Scilly) 

St Agnes (Isles of Scilly) 

 

Area 12 : North Devon including Severn Estuary 

Bideford 

Boscastle 

Bude 

Burnham on Sea 

Clevedon 

Croyde 

Hartland 

Ilfracombe 

Lundy 

Lynmouth 

Minehead 

Mortehoe 

Polzeath 

Portishead 

Sharpness 

Watchet 

Weston-super-Mare 

 

Area 13 : South East Wales to Mid-Wales 

Barry Island 

Broadhaven 

Burry Port 

Cardigan 

Chepstow 

Dale 

Fishguard 

Gwbert 

Llansteffan 

Llantwit Major 

Loughor 

Moylegrove 

Mumbles 

Oxwich 

Penarth 

Port Talbot 

Porthcawl 

Rhossili 

St David’s 

St Govans 

Tenby 

 

Area 14 : North West Wales 

Aberdaron 

Aberdyfi 

Abersoch 

Aberystwyth 

Bangor 

Barmouth 

Borth 

Camaes Bay 

Criccieth 

Harlech 

Holyhead 

Llandwrog 

Moelfre 

New Quay 

Penmon 

Porthdinllaen 

Rhoscolyn 

Rhosneigr 

 

Area 15 : Great Orme to West Scottish Border including the Lakes 

Arnside and South Lakes 

Burgh by Sands 

Crosby 

Fleetwood 

Flint 

Furness 

Knott End 

Llandudno 

Lytham St Annes 

Maryport 

Millom 

Morecombe 

Rhyl 

Southport 

Whitehaven 

Wirral 

 

Area 16 : Solway to Firth of Clyde including Northern Ireland 

Annan 

Ayr 

Ballantrae 

Ballycastle 

Bangor 

Coleraine 

Drummore 

Erne 

Girvan 

Isle of Whithorn 

Kilkeel 

Kirkcudbright 

Larne 

Lough Neagh 

Newcastle 

Port Muck 

Portaferry 

Portling 

Portpatrick 

Rathlin 

Stranraer 

 

Area 17 : Kintyre to Mull, Isle of Arran and Inner Hebrides 

Appin 

Arran 

Campbeltown 

Coll 

Colonsay 

Craignure 

Crinan 

Gigha 

Inverary 

Jura 

Oban 

Port Charlotte 

Port Ellen 

Ross of Mull 

Southend 

Tarbert 

Tiree 

Tobermorey 

 

Area 18 : Loch Linnhe to Outer Hebrides including Skye & the Small Isles 

Barra 

Benbecula 

Bragar 

Breasclete 

Canna 

Duntulm 

Dunvegan 

Eigg 

Fort William 

Griminish 

Kilchoan 

Kyle of Lochalsh 

Leverburgh 

Lochaline 

Lochboisdale 

Mallaig 

Miavaig 

Muck 

Ness 

Portree 

Rhum 

Salen 

Scalpay 

South Lochs 

Stornoway 

Tarbert