STRIKE action among union members at HM Naval Base Clyde will hit services at Faslane and Coulport from Friday, March 24.

As reported in the Advertiser, members of the Unite union working for Babcock Marine delivered an almost unanimous vote in favour of strike action in a dispute over workers' rights.

The action is expected to affect all areas of operation at the base, including its nuclear operations department.

A continuous call-out ban and a ban on all non-contractual overtime in the nuclear operations department will begin at midnight next Friday.

On that day hundreds of Unite members in different roles will also begin a series of staggered periods of strike action.

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.”