Disruption warning after tug crews walk out over work rotas

UNION bosses have warned a summer of disruption is looming at Plymouth’s Devonport Naval Base after tug crews went on strike in a row over shift patterns.

Workers staged a 24-hour walkout at the base from 7am yesterday and the union Unite described paticipation as “solid”.

The union said that unless further talks with employer Serco Marine take place there could be further industrial action. Unite said that about 40 tractor tug crew members employed by Serco Marine at Devonport were on strike as part of the dispute over the imposition of a new “three weeks on and three weeks off ” roster, imposed in December 2020. Previous actions in the dispute were called off at the 11th hour.

The union has said the strike will cause “serious disruption” for the Royal Navy.

The tug boats are vital for assisting Royal Navy vessels, including surface ships and submarines, to leave and return to harbour safely.

But Serco denied the walkout would be as disruptive as the union anticipates and said it was not expecting any problems for the Royal Navy.

Unite called on the firm to return to the negotiating table, however, and Bobby Morton, Unite national officer, said: “Unite members, who are taking strike action today (April 9) over the imposition of a new unreasonable roster system, have shown great solidarity in standing up to outsourcing giant Serco.

“The ‘three week on and three week off’ rota has serious health and safety implications for our tugboat crew members, including excessive fatigue.”