Industrial action hitting one of the most sensitive sites in the UK, the Trident nuclear submarine bases on the Clyde, appears close to being resolved.
After talks between the union Unite, the civilian contractor Babcock Marine and the Ministry of Defence on Monday, a new offer is set to be put to the union’s shop stewards and members.
They voted overwhelmingly last month to begin industrial action, including strikes. Unite accused the MoD of planning to deploy Royal Navy personnel to undermine the strike, even though the union insisted it was doing nothing that would threaten the security of the nuclear weapons and submarines.
The Clyde is home to the UK’s four Vanguard nuclear-powered submarines that are armed with Trident ballistic missiles tipped with nuclear warheads.
Union members are engaged in a range of jobs that include radiation monitoring, weapons support, maintenance and repairs, as well as cleaning and catering. Unite claimed that Babcocks was undermining workers’ rights as part of a campaign to outsource work.
After the Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, held talks on Monday with the Babcock and the MoD, a spokesman for the union said: “The Unite general secretary has been involved in positive talks in an effort to resolve the dispute at Faslane and Coulport. He is hopeful that, as a result, we will have something for members to consider shortly.”
Troops were famously used during the 1926 general strike but otherwise it has been relatively rare in the UK for military personnel to be used in such a way. They were deployed to provide cover during industrial action by fire service staff 15 years ago.
Unite regional officer Stephen Dean last week described the MoD’s behaviour as outrageous. “The MoD is misusing the nation’s defence staff – ordering them in to help an employer who is attacking workers’ rights,” he said.
An MoD spokesperson insisted that security was not being compromised. “The delivery of safe and secure operations at HMNB Clyde remains our priority. Guardian is provided by military guard service and MoD police, neither of whom are taking any industrial action.”
Babcock said: “We support the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy with the delivery of safe and secure operations daily at HMNB Clyde. The current dispute with Unite does not change that focus.”
