HUNDREDS of workers from the troubled Burntisland Fabrication’s yards took to the streets of Edinburgh in what was one of the biggest demonstrations of its kind in Scotland for years.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon returned from a UN climate change conference in Germany to make herself available for talks over the future of the crisis-hit yards, where bosses have filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators.

Her deputy, John Swinney, who was covering First Minister’s Questions at the parliament, said the Scottish Government was “doing absolutely everything” it could to protect the hundreds of jobs at risk on the firm’s sites in Burntisland and Methil in Fife, and in Arnish on the Isle of Lewis.

Around 1400 employees, contractors and subcontractors have work with contracts to manufacture equipment for renewables and oil and gas companies.

According to the GMB and Unite unions the problem stems from a dispute between Burntisland Fabrications, also known as BiFab, and Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) over unpaid bills.

The unions say SHL have yet to pay BiFab for contract work already completed on a Scottish windfarm, being put together as part of an SSE project. They say SHL are holding BiFab to ransom. But SHL has insisted they have paid BiFab on time for the work done.

“We estimate that 61 per cent of the work has been completed and have paid BiFab 61 per cent of the project value,” a spokesperson said.

Marching through the centre of Edinburgh, down the High Street to the Parliament, the workers held up banners proclaiming this the “Battle for BiFab”.

Speaking following a rally outside Holyrood, GMB Scotland Secretary Gary Smith praised the “absolutely magnificent” turnout.

He said: “It just shows you the strength of feeling among the workforce.

“It’s a very clear message to SHL and SSE — nothing is leaving Scotland. This work started in Scotland and it’s going to be finished in Scotland.”

The union is staging a work-in at the factory, with the workforce, carrying on as before, even though they may not get paid.

It’s up to the union though what gets in and out of the yards.

Smith said he recognises that the Scottish Government is “trying to pull out all the stops” and that there is cross-party support for the campaign.

“This is heartbreaking for the workforce and their families,” he said.

“But, in terms of the resolve of the workforce, it’s heartening. Nothing is going out of those yards. There will be no work moved abroad or down south.

“We remain optimistic that a solution can be found.

“But we have to keep the pressure on the Scottish Government, the UK Government and SHL and SSE in particular.”

Addressing the rally, Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: “We know, from the last few days, that this is going to be a tough fight.

“But today we say to this parliament before us: the jobs at these yards in Methil, Burntisland and Lewis are our jobs — Scottish jobs — and we will fight tooth and nail to protect them.

“This contract will be finished in these yards by our members, because these jobs are not for sale, at any price.”

Labour’s Jackie Baillie promised her party would “support the government in any way that we can to secure the jobs at risk at BiFab and to keep the work in Scotland.

“It is essential that all options are explored.”

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said the Scottish government needed to do more to support offshore wind energy.

“BiFab is a company at the forefront of this transition,” he argued.