Cammell Laird and trade unions GMB and Unite are announcing a new workforce pay, terms and conditions agreement, which the parties say will support the ‘upward growth trajectory’ of the company.
Members of the GMB and Unite unions returned a vote by a consultative ballot to support the new agreement. The multi-year deal is a retrospective settlement to July 6 2017 and incorporates improvements to pay and amends contractual elements. The two-term deal has been facilitated by ACAS and the first term runs for a three-year period while the second follows sequentially for a two-year period.
Cammell Laird CEO John Syvret CBE said the deal sends a powerful message to the global marketplace.
“I am pleased to announce that following productive talks with the respective trade unions GMB and Unite we have concluded an agreement that received overwhelming support from our workforce,” he said. “This means we can now focus all our efforts on driving the upward trajectory of the company, delivering existing contracts and positioning the company to win new long-term contracts. We now have good visibility of our cost base and can aggressively pursue important commercial and UK Ministry of Defence contracts.
“With the new Government endorsed UK national shipbuilding strategy we are hugely optimistic that we will be successful in winning the Future In Service Support (FISS) contracts, which are the successor to our existing Royal Fleet Auxiliary cluster contract. We are also targeting the new Type 31e Frigate programme, together with the new Future Solid Support (FSS) ships which provide essential support to Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. These contracts represent over £3 billion of Government investment, and if successful will provide massive opportunities for the company, its workforce and supply chain over the next decade. Cammell Laird, and the Merseyside region, have a long affiliation with our armed forces, particularly with our Royal Navy delivering some of its most iconic ships, including HMS Ark Royal. Now with this huge endorsement of the company’s strategy by our workforce, trade unions and all stakeholders, we are certain that this news will be well received by the MOD and our commercial customers. We look forward with optimism to continue tabling the best commercial offers in the maritime industry, winning these contracts, and delivering on our obligations.”
Albie McGuigan of the GMB union said although negotiations were protracted and difficult at times the Union is happy that the dispute has now ended.
“We believe that this agreement achieved with ACAS assistance has been made with a mutual understanding of the needs and aspirations of our members and the long term ambition of the company. We hope that Cammell Laird can now concentrate on future contract bids and build upon their recent success by winning further orders in both the private commercial and U.K ministry of defence sectors. If this could be achieved it would then lead on to job security in the shipyard and help to support its supply and contractor base in the North West region. It would further help to provide additional investment in apprenticeships and training, therefore providing the skills for the future of the U.K shipbuilding industry.”
Phil Allman of the Unite union said:
“The Unite members have shown their support and good faith by agreeing a deal that in our opinion will help Cammell Laird not only sustain present levels of employment but also put them in a strong position to win new contracts creating new jobs and apprenticeships for the local and national labour market. It is with this in mind that Unite supports the call for the UK Government and the MOD to place orders that are paid for with tax payers money into U.K. shipyards creating UK based Jobs which then pushes that money back into the local communities.”