Cammell Laird workers vote for strikes to save jobs

GMB union members at Cammell Laird Shipyard in Birkenhead have voted to take industrial action, including strikes, to oppose redundancies and defend their jobs and, they say, the future of skilled workers and support staff within the shipyard.

Last month the company announced it intended to cut 291 jobs – nearly 40% of the workforce – by March 2019.

In response, the union said today (November 9) that this industrial action mandate will lead to a total overtime ban and sustained strike action.

Albie McGuigan, GMB regional organiser, said: “This proposed redundancy of 291 highly skilled workers and support staff is a deliberate attempt to restructure through redundancy and place the future of a loyal workforce in peril.

“If this decision is not reversed it will lead to untold hardship on the redundant workers and their families.”

He added: “We have recently put to the company a credible alternative that could avert the first group being made redundant in December.

“If the company agree it would allow time to re-evaluate the workload throughout January and into February 2019.

“However, to date we have no commitment from the company that they will reconsider their decision to dismiss 40% of the workforce.

“The members have made this decision to defend jobs now – otherwise workers will receive notice in December.”

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.

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