Shipyard workers reject industrial action over job losses

WORKERS at Cammell Laird’s Birkenhead shipyard have voted against taking industrial action over 68 job losses.

The union Unite and GMB members took place last week after management announced plans to cut the workforce, blaming a shortage of contracts.

Negotiations over potential job losses had been ongoing for several weeks. It was reported that unions offered concessions in a bid to prevent redundancies in advance of the yard starting on a £200m Polar research vessel later this year.

Regardless, on Friday Cammell Laird said it was planning to go ahead and axe 68 jobs.

Now, a ballot for possible industrial action failed to gain a majority among the workforce.

GMB officer Albie McGuigan, speaking for the joint unions, told the Liverpool Echo: “The ballot result went against us and we are very disappointed.

“From both trade unions’ point of view we hope that when the work picks up again over the next few months the people made redundant will get an opportunity to come back directly employed by Cammell Laird.”

The deal to build the new research vessel – to be officially known as the RRS Sir David Attenborough – was won when Cammell Laird beat international competition for the work.

It  hit drew national attention when a public poll to name the ship showed overwhelming support for the name ‘Boaty McBoatface’.

A Cammell Laird spokesman was unavailable for comment.