Merseyside football fans pledge support for Cammell Laird workers facing job losses

Workers at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead are carrying out strike action set to continue into the New Year – and supportive banners were seen held aloft by fans at both the Anfield and Prenton Park Merseyside derby.

The workers – members of the Unite union – are protesting against plans to cut almost 300 at-risk jobs, despite the recent news a huge new naval deal would secure its long-term future.

Collections and public awareness events were held at both the Liverpool and Everton Premier League match, and Tranmere and Southport’s FA Cup Second Round tie, with thousands of pounds reportedly raised.

Wirral South MP Alison McGovern was one of those at the Liverpool game, which the home side won 1-0.

She said: “Nobody wants people on strike in the weeks before Christmas. And those who work at Cammell Laird have been successful in winning work recently. Which is why people want to see permanent jobs rather than agency work.

“Seeing banners at both ends in support of the workers was impressive. The protest at the derby shows how wary Merseyside people are of the kind of working conditions that are all too common – zero hours contracts, temporary work – and so on.

“This isn’t just about Cammell Laird, it’s about the care staff and the call centre staff in Merseyside who are also expected to turn up as and when with no security. We want good jobs here.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a red or a blue – we know casualisation when we see it.”

Local Cllr Tony Norbury said the support of football fans from across the region was “fantastic”, and that they were “very generous”.

He added: “It was absolutely amazing in my own ward of Prenton where Tranmere Rovers play, the footie fans of Tranmere and Southport were so generous both financially and in their heart-felt comments to us.

“So many fans have worked at Lairds or have a relative that has worked there, Cammell Laird is so embedded into the D&A of Birkenhead and Merseyside’s industrial history that the people of Merseyside will not see their workers exploited and thrown on the scrap heap.

“People of Merseyside are passionate about their footie team and also passionate in their solidarity for workers who are facing exploitation.

“The Cammell Laird workers who are fighting for their jobs and the future of Birkenhead will have seen the messages of support from the terraces of Anfield and Prenton Park and know the fans are supporting them along with Wirral Labour Party and the trade unions from across the world.”

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also had his say, tweeting: “Solidarity to the Cammell Laird workers. You have my full support in the campaign you are waging so courageously. Good to see this solidarity at Anfield.”

News up to 291 jobs could go at the Birkenhead site came despite the business recently celebrating two contracts worth a total of £619m to support and maintain ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary over 10 years.

The yard said those deals would “sustain more than 300 jobs at the company and in the supply chain and create more than 100 apprenticeships”.

But following the recent news, Unite regional officer Ross Quinn warned these could be “potentially the biggest redundancies to hit the yard in a generation”, adding that the move risks “casualising” the workforce.

Responding to the comments, a spokesman from Cammell Laird said the strike action was not supported by all, and that a petition started last week by employees had been signed by more than 700 people. He said the “hundreds” of comments on the petition showed “stern community opposition to the strike”.

He explained: “No-one is more passionate about Merseyside than Cammell Laird and its chief executive who are totally committed to growing the business and supporting the city region communities. It is important for all associated to note that we have generated more than £250m for the local economy in the last five years.”

Describing the strike action as “undermining” and “counter-productive”, he added: “We are a contracting business, and like any other we have to increase and decrease resource in line with employment legislation to ensure we deliver our obligations and maintain a competitive cost base.

“This strike action has facilitated a loss of over £1.5m pounds worth of business already, and with growing concerns from other customers more losses are imminent. It may be obvious but put simply, without customers there are no jobs at all. These lost contracts are now being undertaken in other shipyards.”

He said the firm “rejects the misinformed claim that we are moving toward casualisation”, and said: “The simple fact is that we are in a contract-driven industry and, following a period of peak work, we are seeing contracts come to an end.

“The claim of casualising our workforce is under-served and disappointing in the circumstances. The company has never considered zero hours contracts and we have restarted one of the biggest apprentice training programmes in Britain with investment of more than £18m in 250 apprentices which underpins our commitment to our workforce and local communities.

“Moreover, we have consistently grown our core workforce beyond the projections given to the trade union over the last circa 10 years. We have been transparent with the unions and our workforce sharing our ambition and diversification strategy with its intent being to maximise growth and opportunity for all.”