Staff at Clyde nuclear bases are heading for strike action over pay and future working arrangements.
The Unite union are balloting members and it could lead to walkouts at Coulport and Faslane as early as mid-March.
Workers have rejected a “derisory” pay offer from Babcock and are unhappy at the firm’s refusal to work with them on the future design of the bases in the wake of the Ministry of Defence’s Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP).
Stephen Deans, Unite regional coordinating officer, said they had “major concerns that even if Babcock does win the contracts then there are plans to privatise and outsource more areas to companies at the naval bases”.
He added: “In the scenario that Babcock Marine doesn’t win all of the contracts it is competing for then our members and also the country face an even worse situation.”
He warned it could mean “greater fragmentation and outsourcing” of work at the bases and “a race to the bottom for pay, terms and conditions”.
“This is a situation we believe will ultimately impair and fracture the strength of our defence capabilities.”
The FMSP contracts – estimated to be worth up to £200million – are expected to be decided upon in April and are set to run from then until March 2026.
Unite has written to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warning that splitting national security contracts into smaller work packages endangers the country’s nuclear response capabilities.
A Babcock Marine spokesperson said: “We are keen to keep engaging with Unite representatives to try and find a mutually acceptable resolution for their members.”
They added that they could not comment on the FMSP as the process was ongoing.
A spokesperson for the Royal Navy said: “Industrial action is a matter between the contractor and union.”
