- The union claims the Labour leaders calls for defense
contracts to be built in Britian would give the economy a major
boost by securing shipbuilding, steel, and wider manufacturing
jobs.
GMB, the union for shipbuilder has backed Labour Leader Keir
Starmer's call to build British by default and invest in secure
jobs for the defence sector.
The union has accused the Tory government's plans for the
nation’s security of being ‘big on rhetoric... but their actions
fail to live up to the hype”.’
GMB has long campaigned for the £1.5 billion Fleet Solid Support
(FSS) contract to be reserved for UK shipyards – producing a
ground-breaking report highlighting the estimated 6,700 jobs
created or secured if the orders were kept in the UK. [1]
The union claimed a major victory back in September after the
government finally accepted that FSS ships were warships that
could be reserved for UK yards after wrongly claiming that EU
tendering rules forbade them to do so. [2]
However, since that announcement , the Defence Secretary has yet to clarify when and
where these ships will be built.
Ross Murdoch, GMB National Officer and CSEU Maritime
Chair, said:
"GMB welcomes Labour's call for the government to adopt the
‘British-built by default’ approach, and invest in and secure
jobs for the UK defence sector.
"This Government's big on rhetoric, with their call for shovel
ready projects to rebuild the UK economy post Brexit and post
Covid 19, but unfortunately their actions fail live up to the
hype.
"Despite repeated questions in the House, the Government is still
yet to clarify exactly what the significant proportion of build
and assembly work for the Fleet Solid Support ships contract will
be carried out in the UK.
"Here's a prime example where the Government can give the economy
a major boost by securing shipbuilding, steel, and wider
manufacturing jobs at home. Yet they refuse to give any details."
ENDS
Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on
07958 156846 or at press.office@gmb.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1] https://www.gmb.org.uk/sites/default/files/turning-the-tide.pdf
[2] https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/government-admits-fss-vessels-are-warships
