Minister: 'Dockyard jobs must go'

Jobs will be lost in the privatisation of work

The government has again defended its decision to cut jobs and privatise work at Royal Navy dockyards as unions consider taking industrial action.

Up to 750 naval support workers across the UK could lose their jobs in the changes which will see a further 3,000 staff transferred to the private sector.

Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said the changes were necessary to modernise the service and would save taxpayers more than £300m over the next five years.

The changes will take effect at the Scottish bases at Coulport and Faslane - home of the Trident nuclear submarine fleet - and at Portsmouth and Devonport.

Our members feel utterly betrayed

Jack Dromey
Transport and General Workers' Union

However, the minister said the majority of job losses were likely to occur at the two Clyde bases.

He stressed that the figure of 750 job losses was a worst case scenario and it would be up to the naval dockyard companies who have been awarded the "partnering" contracts for the work to decide.

Speaking on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Ingram said: "I think we really have to strip away the rhetoric and look at the reality here that there will be a substantial number of jobs remaining within the public sector.

'Maximum efficiency

"So we're not inventing the wheel, this is not a leap in the dark, this is about trying to ensure maximum efficiency.

"Around 1,100 will be retained at the Clyde in the public sector, so I think there is a bit of serious misinformation going on in all this."

The efficiency drive would generate significant savings that would be used in the "front line" of defence, the minister said.

Adam Ingram: "This is not a leap in the dark"

Mr Ingram said the status quo could not prevail as there was too many people employed with a reduced workload.

However, union leaders have accused the government of betrayal.

They are meeting in London on Tuesday to consider a co-ordinated response to the proposals but have already indicated that strike action is on the cards.

Jack Dromey, national organiser at the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "Our members feel utterly betrayed.

'No guarantees'

"We are not going to accept compulsory redundancies.

"If ministers say to our members 'thanks for your past loyalty, here's a redundancy notice, here's privatisation and no guarantees about job cuts, pay cuts, conditions of employment, no guarantees against compulsory redundancies', then industrial action is inevitable."

Union spokesman Derek Torrie, chairman of the trade unions at Faslane, said: "We are now on a collision course with the government.

"We will continue to resist these privatisation plans and will fight on."

Scottish sites will face the brunt of cuts

Mr Ingram announced that "partnering" contracts would be put in place with Babcock Naval Services at Clyde, Fleet Support at Portsmouth and Devonport Management.

John Howie, Babcock Naval Services managing director, said: "In securing this opportunity we have successfully demonstrated our ability to manage critical services on a nuclear-authorised site while also delivering substantial reductions in the cost of providing these services."

Babcock has been running the Rosyth dockyard in Fife for nearly 15 years.

Mr Howie said: "We have plenty of experience in this field. We have made positive changes for employees at Rosyth in terms of pay conditions and empowerment.

"The only way we will succeed is by having a capable and motivated workforce."

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh, said plans would not compromise security and the Royal Navy commodores at the three bases would remain in overall control.