Cammell Laird workers set for strike action

Up to 500 workers at the Cammell Laird shipyard on Merseyside have voted in favour of two 24- hour strikes in a dispute over pay and conditions.

The members of the GMB union will work out at Birkenhead on January 26 and 29 if no resolution is found to their 2017 claim.

GMB organiser Albie McGuigan said the joint trade unions pay claim was submitted on May 8, 2017 to allow plenty of time to achieve a settlement on the anniversary date of July 6.

He went on: “We eventually received an offer June 29 which showed a complete disregard to the content of our claim.

“Since then we have met company representatives on numerous occasions and offered to amend our claim in various ways over a multi-year deal if they are willing to negotiate their position.

“However, it became increasingly obvious that their one and only offer was not negotiable.

“Therefore we had no option but to run a consultative ballot, resulting in a massive rejection.

“After reflecting on this result we moved onto a full ERS industrial action ballot which produced a clear mandate for strike action.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Cammell Laird said it was “hugely disappointed” by the looming industrial action.

They went on: “The trade union had formalised a one-year claim which, where elements can be calculated, equates to more than 10% per annum. However the incalculable elements would substantially increase these company costs further.

“The company has spent the last seven months discussing the commercial rationale behind the claim and maintains it is unrealistic and unaffordable.”

Cammell Laird employs a total of 1,200 workers at Birkenhead.

A meeting with union has been arranged for January 22.