Cammell Laird shipyard workers back strike vote to protect jobs

Cammell Laird shipyard workers have backed a vote for strike action to avoid compulsory redundancies and protect their jobs.

Bosses at the shipyard announced 291 job losses last week – almost 40% of the workforce – just four days after confirming two contracts over 10 years to maintain Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships, worth £619m.

The yard said it aims to achieve the job losses by March next year.

But today, GMB and Unite union members met and gave a clear indication that they will oppose any compulsory redundancies and fight to defend their jobs, if need be, by confirming that they have backed a strike vote.

GMB said it will now meet with the company this Thursday, October 18, to discuss their next steps.

Albie McGuigan, GMB Organiser, said: “GMB members at Cammell Laird met today.

“There was a lot of anger among members over the plans to cut almost 300 jobs.

“Our members are now facing an uncertain future and they are not happy.

“They gave a clear direction that they will oppose any compulsory redundancy and fight to defend their jobs if need be.

“We will now meet with the company on Thursday to discuss next steps.”

Unite says it is fearful that the job cuts are part of a plan to casualise the workforce in a move that will see vital shipbuilding skills lost for a generation. The union is demanding that Cammell Laird bosses come clean on the business case for the proposed job cuts.

Yesterday’s mass meeting came as a delegation of union representatives from Cammell Laird got ready to head to the House of Commons in Westminster today to get the backing of MPs for their campaign to save jobs at Cammell Laird.

Commenting, Unite regional officer Ross Quinn said: “There is real anger among the workforce who should be celebrating and looking forward to a secure future after winning a massive contract to maintain ships for the Royal Navy.

“Instead workers feel totally sold down the river by Cammell Laird bosses and fear being put out of a job to be replaced by agency labour at a later date.

“Since the last round of job cuts over two years ago we have seen more and more agency workers on ‘flexible’ contracts brought in to work on the likes of the RSS Sir Richard Attenborough.

“Unite and our members will not tolerate the casualisation of the workforce via the back door and will use every tool at our disposal in our campaign to save shipbuilding jobs on the Mersey.

“This includes the prospect of an industrial action ballot in the near future, as well as bringing political pressure to bear on the Government to make sure the Royal Navy’s new fleet solid support vessels are built in UK shipyards such as Cammell Laird.”

He added: “Cammell Laird bosses need to wake up to the depth of anger and come clean on the business case for job cuts which will see the loss of vital skills for a generation.”

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

“This means we can have peaks in demand for skilled and semi-skilled labour, which is the nature of contract-based industries.

“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.

“The company has been working with the trade union discussing contracts coming to an end and those talks will continue this week.

“We continue to bid for numerous contracts around the world and we remain very optimistic for future growth.”