Royal Navy: Portsmouth Dockyard workers set strike dates and warn of MoD's “costly and deadly” mistake

Members of the Prospect union working in Portsmouth Harbour are walking out due to not being included in contract discussions around afloat services. There are fears that many employees will lose their jobs, and the Royal Navy will not be able to deploy ships properly.

Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of Prospect, said: “Our members don’t want to take industrial action but we need to be engaged on the new contract or there is a real danger that our fleet will not get the support it needs to function properly. What we are calling for is for the contract to be paused so the implications of any changes can be properly considered and addressed.

“Our assessment is that if it continues as planned it will mean the loss of vital jobs which it will not be then possible to replace when the navy inevitably realises that it has made a mistake. Pausing now and reconsidering will avoid a costly and dangerous mistake.”

Strike action will take place over 24 hours next Monday (February 3). Continuous action short of a strike - which includes an overtime ban and work to rule - will take place from next Tuesday (February 4).

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and employer Serco are continuing to renegotiate a £250m contract for afloat services that take place in Portsmouth, Devonport in Plymouth and Faslane in Scotland. This includes all towage activities, bunkering and watering, tank cleaning, passenger services, trials work, munitions and nuclear safety activities for the Royal Navy.

Dockyard workers play a critical role in the MoD’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent policy, where at least one Royal Navy nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine is always patrolling the seas to deter potential aggressors. They’re also heavily involved in the deployment of aircraft carriers including HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth, with work taking place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across 365 days a year.

A total of 87 per cent of balloted members voted in favour of striking, with 96 per cent wanting action short of a strike. A Royal Navy spokesperson previously said: “This is a matter between the contractor and their workforce. We are working closely with those involved to ensure there is no disruption to services and we stand by to assist in the resolution process where appropriate.”

When asked for updates about the contract and negotiations with employees, a Serco maritime spokesperson added: “Our priority remains to provide vital services to the Royal Navy, and we are working in partnership with the MoD on the proposals for this contract to ensure the best outcome."