THE Ministry of Defence has insisted that strike action by Babcock employees at Faslane and Coulport, due to begin this week, will not compromise the safe management of the Clyde naval base.

Members of the Unite union working for Babcock will take industrial action from this Friday in a row over workers' rights.

A continuous overtime and on-call ban by members of the Unite union will begin on March 24 and will affect all areas of operation at HM Naval Base Clyde, including the nuclear operations department.

Also on Friday, hundreds of Unite members working at Faslane and Coulport will begin a series of staggered periods of strike action, due to last until June 15.

Among the personnel set to go on strike are workers involved in radiation monitoring and strategic weapons support.

But an MoD spokesman told the Advertiser: “The MoD is aware of the current dispute with Babcock Marine. 

“The continued safe operation of HM Naval Base Clyde is of paramount importance and contingency arrangements are in place and the safe management of the port will not be compromised. 

“We are holding daily meetings to assure Babcock management mitigation actions as well as ensuring safety, security and operational outputs.

“The MoD is adopting a strictly neutral position with regards to the dispute. This is a matter for Babcock Marine and their workforce.”

The industrial action starts at midnight on Friday, with a continuous call-out ban and a ban on all non-contractual overtime in the base's nuclear operations department.

Unite says that Babcock Marine is carrying out a systematic campaign to undermine workers, including victimising worker representatives, withdrawing facilities for shop steward meetings, and failing to meaningfully consult and negotiate with the trade union.  

Unite regional officer Stephen Deans said: “This action will coincide with a particularly busy period at both Coulport and Faslane and will cause major disruption to the day-to-day services that Babcock Marine provides. 

“This includes land-based repairs, mail delivery, feeding the Navy sailors at their normal mealtimes, and nuclear operational and waterfront services. There will be a severe impact.

“Our members work hard supporting the Royal Navy’s operations. They refuse to be intimidated by a private company whose biggest interest at the moment seems to be weakening workers’ rights so that it can squeeze all the cash it can from the nation’s defence.”

Babcock announced in December that it planned to outsource cleaning services at Faslane and Coulport to a specialist cleaning firm, ISS.

The announcement of strike dates comes after Unite members delivered an overwhelming vote earlier this month in favour of industrial action in the dispute.

Members who took part in a ballot voted 96 per cent in favour of strike action and 99 per cent in favour of industrial action short of a strike.

Unite represents a wide range of workers at Coulport and Faslane, including cleaners, housekeepers, logistics operatives, drivers, mail staff, multi-skilled operators and a variety of trades engaged in land-based maintenance and defect repair.

A Babcock International spokesman added: “Babcock has positive relations with the Unite trade union across our sites and we are disappointed with this statement.

“We are already actively engaged in discussions with ACAS and Unite on the issues that have been raised with us and made good progress at our meeting on March 7.

“We fully expect these issues to be successfully resolved when we meet again with ACAS this week”.

All Unite members, apart from apprentices, at the base will take part in strike action from March 24 until June 15 on the following basis:

All Coulport trades: 6.30-8am, 8.30-10.30am, 1.30-2.30pm, 8.05-9.35pm.

All Coulport and Faslane motor transport drivers: 3-4.30am, 10.30am-12 noon, 2.30-4pm, 10.30pm-12 midnight. (On each Friday from March 24, the 10.30am-12 noon stoppage is replaced by one from 10-11.30am.)

All Coulport and Faslane chef grades, kitchen porters, and kitchen porter supervisors – 10.15-11.45am, 5-6.30pm.

All other Coulport and Faslane catering support, including front of house supervisors and assistants, bar stewards and supervisors, catering assistants, stewards and receptionists: 11.30am-1pm, 5-6.30pm.

All other Coulport non-trades members: 5-6.30am, 10.30am-12 noon, 2.30-4pm, 9.35-11.05pm.

All Faslane trades, including stores surveyors, and the full-time union convener: 6.30-8am, 8.30-10am, 1-2.30pm, 8.05-9.35pm.

All Faslane mail staff: 9-10.30am, 2.30-4pm.

All other Faslane non-trades members: 5-6.30am, 10.30am-12 noon, 2.30-4pm, 9.35-11.05pm.