Appledore strikers look for support
Following workers’ strike action on Fridays and Mondays at Babcock Group’ s Appledore Shipbuilders in the UK, Unite and GMB union delegates are looking for ‘ leverage’ by getting the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions on their side.
The unions are arguing that the wages paid to Appledore’s workforce are on average some 19% (£60-£80) below those of Babcock Group’s workers in other yards.The vote to strike by union members (who represent some 95% of the 200 strong permanent workforce) came after the failure of agreement on a two year pay deal following an order from the Royal Navy for the bow sections for a pair of new 65,000 ton aircraft carriers. This contract is expected to engage the yard for five years and enabled it to increase the workforce and resume the recruitment of apprentices, despite the yard giving up its superyacht work.
Strike action will continue for the next two weeks. A spokesperson for Babcock said they would not comment while negotiations are taking place.
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