More than 600 workers at Faslane and Coulport could walk out in pay dispute

dailyrecord.co.uk:

More than 600 workers at Faslane and Coulport could be set to walk out in a dispute over pay.Unite the union confirmed on Monday that its membership at HMNB Clyde and RNAD Coulport — home of the UK’s Trident nuclear defence system — will be balloted on industrial action in a dispute over pay.They say that the dispute involves 600 Unite members employed by Babcock Marine (Clyde) Ltd who undertake specialist services for the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines.The offer amounts to a seven per cent increase backdated to August 2023, and three per cent for the next pay round effective from August this year.Unite members emphatically rejected the two year pay offer by 99 per cent.

And the union claims that the offer represents a substantial pay cut as the true rate of inflation, RPI, stood at 9.1 per cent when the pay increase was due in August.The ballot, which runs for two weeks, opens today (May 21).Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s membership at Coulport and Faslane fully deserve a fair pay increase.“Babcock Marine is a wealthy company that can easily afford to make a decent offer to its workers.“Pay offers which in real terms amount to sizable pay cuts, just won’t cut it.

We will support our members’ fight for better jobs, pay and conditions all the way.”Unite highlighted that Babcock Marine amassed nearly £45m in profit after tax over the 2018 to 2022 period.James O’Connell, Unite industrial officer, added: “Babcock Marine needs to get serious about its pay offer or face significant disruption.“Babcock Marine must take the opportunity to make a decent offer, but they should be under no illusions as to the determination of our members to get what they deserve.”The firm was awarded a contract in March