The union said the unit has saved many lives

The Unite union said it would be joining a campaign against proposals to move the neurosurgery service from Aberdeen to the central belt.

Unite claimed that many of its offshore members would not be alive today without the Royal Infirmary service.

The Scottish Government said no decision had been taken over closure.

The union said that being able to airlift accident survivors from platforms in the North Sea to the Royal Infirmary had saved time and lives.

But the unit is under threat following recommendations to the government that the service should be transferred to the central belt where procedures are more commonly carried out.

'Stop this madness'

Unite has now joined a campaign already under way in the city which aims to retain the service.

The union's Graham Tran said it would be taking the protests offshore, where workers would be encouraged to e-mail Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon from their platforms.

Mr Tran said: "Quite frankly what they are probably doing is giving a death warrant to any offshore worker who has a serious head injury while working offshore.

"We will be taking the campaign offshore in the hope that the offshore workers will also get on board irrespective of where they live in the UK and write to Nicola Sturgeon. They have to stop this madness now."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said that no decisions had been taken over the future of neurosurgery in Aberdeen.