Dockyard union calls for Royal Navy work

The largest union at Rosyth dockyard is calling on a package of naval work to be awarded to the base where 250 jobs are being axed.

With hundreds of workers facing redundancy, Prospect wants to see work, including the already scheduled refit of HMS Scott and yet to be allocated work on Type 45 destroyers, coming to the site.

Yard operator Babcock has indicated it is prepared to move the HMS Scott work from its base in Devonport – which has a comparatively full order book – to the Fife yard.

But Prospect said it appeared the Ministry of Defence (MoD) wanted the work to be carried out at Devonport or Falmouth.

The reason is that it would be the crew’s choice not to have to travel to Rosyth, despite the fact the work would probably be completed more quickly in Fife, said the union.

“On behalf of those members facing a bleak Christmas at the risk of redundancy, Prospect is more than disappointed at this decision by the MoD, which seems to be based on crew convenience rather than any sensible economic or workload metrics,” said Prospect’s national secretary for Scotland, Richard Hardy.

Babcock is also bidding for a major package of work to overhaul the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers which would provide a substantial amount of work for some years.

“Any work coming into Rosyth will help stave off job losses,” Mr Hardy continued.

“HMS Scott will help but the award of the Type 45 contract is a vital piece of the jigsaw in offsetting redundancies and securing the future of the yard.

“This is a strategic workforce and the other yards competing have much fuller order books than Rosyth so it makes sense to award the work to Rosyth,” he added.

Picture: Gareth Jennings. Hundreds of workers are facing redundancy.