Around 300 Royal Navy tugboat and marine services crews, many
with decades of experience, are being balloted by Unite for
strike action due to being locked out of consultations over the
services they provide, despite their vital expertise.
As part of their roles, the crews are responsible for the
movement of nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers and other naval
vessels in and out of ports. The proposed service changes would
impact on their ability to provide a 24-7 365-day service,
including for the continuous at sea deterrent.
They are employed by Serco Marine, which is currently in talks
with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) about renewing its 10-year
£1.2 billion contract with the Royal Navy. Officials have
indicated they want to reduce the contract by £250 million,
putting nearly 100 jobs at risk.
In previous contract negotiations, the Royal Navy's tugboat
skippers and crews have been involved in consultations to provide
critical insight into how the service operates at sea. A
significant amount of the workers transferred to Serco in
2008 following the privatisation of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary
Service and have experience ranging from 20 to 45 years.
For instance, Unite understands that during current talks it was
proposed the number of tugboats used to move nuclear submarines
be reduced from six to four to save costs. The union's workplace
reps had to inform Serco Marine that this would be in
contravention of nuclear safety legislation.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham
said: “Both Serco and the MoD need to listen to
these workers. They are not deskbound managers or bureaucrats:
They are seafarers with decades of experience. Knowing how to tow
an aircraft carrier or nuclear submarine according to wind, tide
and topography is just one facet of their expertise. Without
their input, the proposed contract risks losing vital jobs and
the invaluable working knowledge that comes with them, seriously
endangering the fleet's ability to function
safely.”
In addition to towing, Serco Marine staff are responsible for
passenger transportation, tank cleaning and delivering fuel,
water and munitions at all Royal Navy ports. They also take part
in trials work and nuclear safety activities. They have a
critical role in maintaining the continuous at sea deterrent and
the deployment of all Royal Naval assets on a day-to-day basis
all year-round. Without the work they carry out, the UK's naval
defence would be severely limited.
The ballot for strike action opens today (Monday 3 February) and
runs for two weeks. Unite represents about half of Serco Marine's
total workforce. Strike action by Prospect members at Serco
Marine is also taking place today over the same issue.
Unite national officer John McGookin said: “Our
members have been forced to ballot for strike action because of
their concerns that the new contract will result in afloat
services that are not fit for purpose. This dispute will continue
to escalate until Serco Marine and the MoD enter into meaningful
consultations with the workforce over the impact of the proposed
contract changes.”
