Management barred in workers' protest

Work runs out at the turbine plant in the autumn

Workers at the Kvaerner Energy turbine plant in Clydebank are continuing a "work-in" in protest at the proposed sale of the company.

The plant's 220 manual workers are barring senior management from entering the main factory.

The action was sparked by concern at the prospect of Kvaerner Energy being sold to the Manchester firm, Texas.

Union convener, Robbie Robertson, called on the company to start talking to the workforce.

He said: "Kvaerner have not told us that they will cover the enhanced redundancy package that we've got.

Workers are concerned at possible job losses

"We're looking for any new owner to be looking at that. We're trying to get our pensions guaranteed.

"And we're also trying to find out what plans they've got, what future plans they've got for the Clydebank engineering plant.

"They're not willing to sit down and talk to us."

The spectre of sale or closure has been hanging over the plant since it was revealed in December that a management buy-out attempt had failed.

Work is due to run out in the autumn and Kvaerner has warned of redundancies.

Kvaerner Energy, which is based on the site of the former John Brown shipyard, is part of the Kvaerner Thermal Power Group which includes operations in Norway and the Middle East.

The company designs and builds power stations and supplies and services heavy duty gas turbines worldwide.