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    Mirror: 'Major pay dispute hits secretive MoD missile site supplying Ukraine with weapons' Archived Message

    Posted by Ian M on July 15, 2023, 7:20 pm

    Via Paul Mason and the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign (back to hate-scrolling their twitter accounts now nitter is working again - damn you Ken!). Oddly they didn't seem to have any hesitation in expressing solidarity with the striking workers:

    'Paul Mason @paulmasonnews
    Solidarity! ✊🏼

    [Retweet] Ukraine Solidarity Campaign @UkraineSol
    Solidarity with these workers and @GMB_union

    We support workers' struggles for their rights everywhere. We would also point out that GMB and its members have been strongly support of Ukraine's struggle.'     - https://nitter.it/paulmasonnews/status/1679975796834803716#m

    I suppose they deserve credit for consistency. Still, a very twisted kind of leftism that sees no problem with the arms trade as long as workers are properly & equally compensated. Wasn't there a protest by workers in weapons manufacture demanding that they be given less destructive employment? I remember seeing black & white photos of it somewhere... Not the sort of thing GMB are at all interested in by the sounds of it.

    jeers,
    I

    *****

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/major-pay-dispute-hits-secretive-30470942

    Exclusive: Major pay dispute hits secretive MoD missile site supplying Ukraine with weapons

    More than 50 key workers at a weapons depot in Scotland have walked out - with another strike due next week - with one source claiming could earn more money at Lidl

    By Chris Hughes Defence and Security Editor


    Defence chiefs have been forced to launch “contingency measures” after a major pay dispute hit a secretive MoD missile site supplying Ukraine with badly-needed weapons.

    Emergency plans were imposed as over 50 key workers at the Defence Equipment and Support depot in Beith, Scotland, walked out on Friday (July 14) - and they will impose another strike on Monday.

    The weapons depot supplies key Storm Shadow and Brimstone missiles to Ukraine’s frontline troops battling Russian forces.

    But the workers who move the bombs within the depot are paid just over the living wage - and could earn more moving a “can of beans” in a high street shop.

    According to defence sources, the supply of Storm Shadow and Brimstone missiles could be impacted if the strike over pay continues long-term.

    The MoD has hit back that “contingency measures” have been imposed that will stop Ukraine’s weapons supplies being hit.

    Other weapons from DES, Beith are supplied to Britain’s nuclear deterrent submarines based at Faslane.

    The bust-up between the MoD and GMB union members is over a soaring pay gap between missile movers and staff who finally put the bombs together.

    Employees dubbed Craft Workers, who assemble the weapons, are paid £16.82 an-hour, plus £4,000 as their “Craft allowance” and a £6,000 retention bonus comes to about £38,000 a-year.

    Non Craft Workers, who transport the weapons, earn just £10.42 an-hour or £20,500 a-year and do not receive bonuses.

    Until last year Non-Craft workers, such as staff who move missiles with vehicles such as forklift trucks, earned £6,000 a-year less than their Craft Worker colleagues.

    But a pay rise for Craft Workers last year now means the pay gap has soared to around £18,000 a-year, leaving the drivers earning just 23p more than the £10.42 Living Wage.

    A source told the Daily Mirror: “Basically the non-Craft workers could earn more at Lidl, at around £11 an-hour.

    “It means these workers get less for moving huge bombs around than they would a tin of beans around a shop - no offence to anyone working in retail.

    “The strike action, if it continues over a long period, could eventually have implications for missiles going to Ukraine or Faslane.”

    This is the first time in the munitions depot’s history that workers have gone on strike since it was built during World War Two in 1943.

    Workers dealing with deadly munitions will also down tools on Monday (July 17).

    A majority of 93 per cent of GMB members at the depot voted for strike action over the dispute.

    Managers and craft workers earn the bonuses whilst non-craft workers do not.

    DES is a part of the Ministry of Defence which delivers equipment and support services to the UK armed forces.

    Chris Kennedy, GMB Scotland Organiser, said:

    “These workers are utterly vital to the UK armed forces – they deserve to be recognised as such.

    “Instead, management have allowed a two tier workforce to develop, fostering bitterness and anger among workers.

    “Today’s strike is the first in the history of the DES – it cannot be allowed to carry on.

    “If the Defence Secretary does not step in to right this wrong, supplies of the crucial missiles manufactured at Beith will soon run low.”

    Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and the two countries have been at war since

    An MoD spokesperson said:

    “The strikes will have no effect on our ability to provide these capabilities to Ukraine.

    “Pre-planned contingency measures are being implemented at DM Beith to ensure the continued operation of the site.

    “We remain open to dialogue with GMB to discuss the issues raised and work towards resolving them.”

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