Hundreds of jobs to be axed at shipyard – unions claim

Cammell Laird

Hundreds of jobs are to be axed at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead – according to the unions.

The announcement, which came just days after the shipyard said it had landed two major contracts has been described as a kick in the teeth by the GMB Union.

The firm say that the exact number of job losses is still to be decided but added jobs are at risk. A consultation process will be launched in the coming days.

Currently around 700 people are employed at the historic shipyard.

GMB, the union for ship workers, has expressed outrage after almost 300 job losses were announced at Cammell Laird.

According to the union 291 jobs – nearly 40 per cent of the workforce – will go by March of next year.

This week it was announced the shipyard had won two contracts worth more than £600m, to maintain Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships.

GMB will meet with members on Monday, before meeting with the company three days later.

Albie McGuigan, GMB Organiser, said: “This decision is outrageous – particularly coming so soon after the shipyard won those lucrative contracts.

“This number of job losses will cause devastation to the community.

“This is another kick in the teeth for the UK’s proud shipbuilding tradition.

“If this Government wanted to help our nation’s shipbuilders it would pledge to keep the £1 billion order for three new RFA’s in the UK.”

The yard said the two contracts, worth a total of £619m, to support and maintain ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary over 10 years would “sustain more than 300 jobs at the company and in the supply chain and create more than 100 apprenticeships”.

A spokesman for the Birkenhead company said: “Cammell Laird is principally a marine and engineering contracting business.

“Contracting is our business model and that has enabled us to invest in our workforce infrastructure and apprentices to date, and will do so in the future.

“However, as a result of numerous contracts entering the latter phases, and without certainty in the award of similar contracts in the immediate term, the company needs to address its cost base to remain competitive. Consequently there are jobs at risk.”

 

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