Planned strikes by marine workers at Royal Navy bases have been suspended following a breakthrough in talks between Unite the Union, Serco Marine, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The industrial action, which would have involved 300 Unite members at key naval bases across the UK, was set to take place at Devonport in Devon, Portsmouth in Hampshire, and Faslane, Great Harbour Greenock, and Kyle of Lochalsh in Scotland. The union had raised concerns that its members had been excluded from contract negotiations between Serco Marine and the Royal Navy, despite their vital role in fleet operations.
Unite described its members as seasoned seafarers, many with decades of experience working on tugboats and marine services. Some are directly involved in the movement of nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and other naval vessels, making their exclusion from discussions a potential risk to fleet safety.
However, following renewed talks, consultations will now go ahead, and the planned three-day strike action has been called off.
Contract concerns and job security
The crews are employed by Serco Marine, which is currently negotiating the renewal of its 10-year, £1.2 billion contract with the MoD for the provision of marine services to the Royal Navy.
Unite has expressed concerns that officials are seeking to reduce the contract by £250 million, a move the union says could put 100 jobs at risk. Additionally, the proposed service changes could impact the ability to provide round-the-clock support for the Royal Navy’s operations, including the nuclear submarines that maintain the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent.
While the strikes set for Thursday, Friday, and Monday have been cancelled, other forms of industrial action will continue. Unite has confirmed that from Thursday, workers will adhere to a strict ‘working to rule’ policy and enforce an overtime ban.
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Union and government responses
Unite’s national officer John McGookin welcomed the decision to enter consultations but warned that the situation remained unresolved.
“Unite is pleased that the MoD and Serco have acknowledged the concerns of our members, whose expertise and decades of experience are fundamental to the running of the Royal Navy’s afloat services.
There will now be a consultation period to ensure the service is fit for purpose under the new contract.
During this period, strike action will be suspended, but action short of strikes will continue.”
The Prospect union, which also represents Serco Marine workers, has similarly agreed to suspend industrial action following the decision to delay signing the new contract for 30 days to allow for further discussions.
A Serco spokesperson expressed relief that the strike action had been averted and reiterated the company’s commitment to working closely with both unions.
“We are pleased that Unite members have stood down their planned strike action.
We remain committed to regular engagement with both trade unions in relation to the MoD’s requirements for the next-generation in-port contract.
Our priority remains to provide vital services to the Royal Navy.”
An MoD spokesperson also welcomed the pause in industrial action, stating:
“We welcome the proposed strike action being suspended and will continue to work with Serco to resolve this dispute with their employees as soon as possible.”
Ongoing tensions and future talks
Although the immediate strike threat has been lifted, tensions remain high as negotiations continue. Unite is adamant that any contract changes must protect jobs and maintain the highest level of service for the Royal Navy.
With 30 days of consultations now underway, the next month will be crucial in determining whether a full resolution can be reached, or if the threat of industrial action will resurface.
