Shipyard staff strike under way

Staff say others at shipyards owned by the same firm earn more than them

Workers at a north Devon shipyard have gone on strike in a dispute over pay.

Staff at Appledore are demanding the same rates of pay from Babcock Marine as employees at the company's other sites, including Devonport in Plymouth.

The walk-out, which began at midnight, is the first in a series of industrial action planned by union members.

The GMB and Unite unions, which represent the 200 workers, said new proposals from managers on Thursday were given a "categorical rejection".

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

Navy contract

Owner Babcock Marine said strike action could mean work being reassigned to its 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.