WORKERS at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot in Coulport have voted to support industrial action in what has been described as a "final warning shot" to employers over a pay dispute.

Around 70 workers who provide specialist services for the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines at the base have backed the move, organised by trade union Unite.

More than 90 per cent of Unite members based at RNAD Coulport voted ‘yes’ in support of strike action, and 95.3 per cent supported action short of a strike in a 90 per cent ballot turnout.

Unite has said the "emphatic" ballot result should serve as a "final warning shot" to the ABL Alliance employers involved in the pay dispute - AWE plc, Babcock Marine (Clyde) Ltd, and Lockheed Martin UK Strategic Systems Ltd.

The trade union has confirmed that it will now consult its members at Coulport to consider various forms of industrial action, which it is anticipated will take place from the beginning of October, if there is no breakthrough in pay talks.

The dispute, according to Unite, is over the failure by the ABL Alliance employers to meet Unite’s 2021 wage claim, despite the union agreeing on several occasions to delay pay talks due to the Covid pandemic. It was mutually agreed that the pay award for 2020 would be negotiated retrospectively, and negotiated currently for 2021.

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Unite says that after months of negotiations, a £600 backdated pay uplift to August 1, 2020 was offered, and would be acceptable to members. However, so far, the ABL Alliance employers have refused to meet the RPI inflation pay claim made by Unite.

Stevie Deans, Unite regional coordinating officer, said: “Let’s be clear about the significance of this result: by over 90 per cent Unite’s members support taking forms of industrial action in a ballot turnout of 90 per cent at the nation’s nuclear naval bases.

"It’s historic and unprecedented in recent times.

“We have been extremely patient with the ABL Alliance employers. For the record, Unite agreed to delay the pay award for 2020 until this year. Then after reaching a potentially successful resolution to that part of the pay claim, the employers decided to stonewall us for 2021. This is despite the ABL Alliance being highly profitable.

“The reality is that due to the nature of the work performed by our members even an overtime ban could cripple the effective running of operations at RNAD Coulport.

"If the employers refuse to move quickly, then industrial action will strike at the heart of the nation’s nuclear deterrent in a matter of weeks."

A joint statement from the ABL Alliance companies said: "We are disappointed that members of Unite Scotland have voted for industrial action.

"We are assessing the impact of the proposed action on the programme and will continue to seek a resolution through dialogue with Unite Scotland.”