More than a thousand Ministry of
Defence staff have delayed a strike planned for April 9, the day of the Queen
Mother’s funeral, out of respect.
Staff at the Clyde Submarine Base
Faslane and the Royal Navy Armaments Depot at Coulport are angry about job
losses resulting from the contracting out of a large proportion of their work.
The non-industrial staff, members of
the Public and Commercial Services Union and the Prospect union, will now hold
a one-day strike on April 12.
Unions say the strike will not pose
any threat to the operational effectiveness of the Royal Navy or to base
security and PCS is specifically excluding its members responsible for base
security from the action.
Ralph Groves, PCS senior national
officer, said: "PCS and Prospect members employed within the Clyde
Submarine Base and RNAD Coulport are loyal civil servants.
"They feel betrayed by the
ministers’ decision to opt for privatisation of services rather than
alternative proposals put forward by the trade unions.
"Yet
they believe it is appropriate to delay their strike-action out of respect to
the memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother."
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