Yard workers warned over strike

Unions say there is solid support for the strike

Striking workers at a north Devon dockyard have been warned that they are putting a major contract in jeopardy.

Appledore workers are on their third strike in a bid to get the same pay rate from Babcock Marine as employees at the firm's other sites.

The yard is earmarked to help build hull sections for two of the UK's next generation of aircraft carriers, which will secure at least 200 jobs.

But Babcock has warned the contract may be taken elsewhere.

Delay fear

Archie Bethel, Babcock Marine's chief executive, told BBC News that an agreement had to be reached by the end of the year.

He said: "Babcock employs 17,000 people across the UK and we have 42 sites.

The carriers contract will safeguard at least 200 jobs

"I cannot say that everyone gets paid the exact same amount - that just doesn't happen.

"But our view is that in Appledore, with a 12% increase, they are paid as well as anyone in the Babcock group."

He warned any delay would affect Babcock's partners in the UK Aircraft Carrier Alliance, Thales UK and Vosper Thornycroft (VT) Group.

He said: "We cannot put that (carriers) programme at risk so if we do not come to an agreement with the Appledore workforce we will carry out the work elsewhere."

The aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will be the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy, nearly three times the size of the current Invincible-class carriers.

They are expected to be completed between 2014 and 2016.

The Appledore work came out of Babcock's takeover of the Devonport yard in Plymouth in June 2007 from previous owner DML.

The work on the Royal Navy's new �3.8bn carrier programme will at the very least secure about 200 jobs at the Appledore yard, which went into receivership in 2003.

The union Unite declined to comment on Mr Bethel's comments.

Workers are due to strike again on Monday.

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