THE fight to honour the legacy of the victims of 1988’s Piper Alpha oil-rig disaster continues, RMT union general secretary Mick Lynch said on Saturday.

“Piper Alpha shows the dangers of poorly regulated profit-driven operators,” said Mr Lynch on the 36th anniversary of an explosion that turned the world’s the biggest single oil-producer into the site of the industry’s largest loss of life.

“As we mark this anniversary, RMT calls for a review of the offshore safety regime’s effectiveness.

“With rising profits, energy security issues and safety maintenance backlogs, we need a strong safety representative structure.

“Workers’ voices must be heard to honour the legacy of Piper Alpha victims and ensure North Sea safety today.”

Echoing those sentiments, Aberdeen TUC president Graeme Farquhar said: “Our thoughts are with  the families, work colleagues  and friends of the 167 workers who were tragically killed on July 6 1988.

“When costs to the employers and profit increases for shareholders become more important than workers’ safety, then the Piper Alpha fatal accident shows that it’s offshore workers and their families who pay the ultimate price.“