Shipyard overtime ban cancelled

Workers say others at similar shipyards earn more than them

An overtime ban involving 300 workers at Appledore Shipyard in north Devon, which was due to start later in a dispute over pay, has been called off.

At this stage a strike planned for Friday is still due to go ahead.

But talks between the GMB union and the shipyard owners, Babcock Marine, aimed at averting industrial action are scheduled for tomorrow.

Workers at Appledore are demanding the same rates of pay as employees at other Babcock Marine sites.

The Appledore yard is earmarked to help build hull sections for two of the UK's next generation of aircraft carriers.

Navy contract

Its owners say strike action could mean work being reassigned to their other yards instead.

The vessels, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will be the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy, nearly three times the size of the current Invincible-class carriers.

They are expected to be completed between 2014 and 2016.

Babcock, which is part of the UK Aircraft Carrier Alliance, secured the deal for the carriers in July 2007.

The Appledore work came out of Babcock's takeover of the Devonport yard in Plymouth in June 2007 from previous owner DML.