Nearly 100 jobs to be axed at shipyard

SOME 98 jobs are to be axed at Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird.

A series of meetings between management at the yard and trade unions have taken place as part of attempts to stave off the losses.

Unite union officer Phil Allman has said that the firm wants to axe 98 jobs from its 663-strong workforce, with a shortage of contracts cited as the reason.

However, unions have pleaded with the firm to retain skills at the shipyard ahead of one of the biggest contracts in recent years. In the next few months work will start on the £200m Polar research vessel on behalf of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
 
Allman told the Echo that unions met with management last week, and also briefed Birkenhead MP Frank Field and Wirral South MP Alison McGovern last Friday on the position at the yard.

Both union officers held talks with the company on Monday evening and were due to meet them again yesterday, but bosses cancelled the meeting.

Allman said the workforce has offered to take a cut in pay on Fridays of two-and-a-half hours to help management cut costs and avoid the proposed redundancies.

But he said they have so far had no response.

McGuigan also called on the company to extend the consultation period from the basic 30 days, as only one more week remains before the firm can issue redundancy notices.

The unions are to hold a mass meeting with members today.

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.

“Our workforce stands at 663, and as a result of finishing substantial dry-docking and refit contracts, 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 98 jobs at risk.

“The company continues to bid for significant opportunities and remains optimistic for future growth.”

In November Cammell Laird won the contract to build the Polar exploration vessel, expected to be ready for operation by NERC’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in 2019.

The NERC said detailed design would get underway immediately and it expected Cammell Laird to cut steel for the new vessel this June.