EXECUTIVES at the home of Britain's nuclear weapons on the Clyde have calmed safety concerns over contingency plans as specialist emergency workers escalate strike action after managers slashed firefighter numbers.
Workers with the Unite union working for Capita Business Services Ltd at HM Naval Base Clyde have raised ‘safety critical’ concerns over the effectiveness of fire response cover as workers take part in strike action.
Unite members on the Clyde employed by Capita, who provide onsite fire cover for both Faslane and Coulport naval bases, have been involved in an overtime ban since 16 September, and six-hour strike action on various days since 19 October.
Now the Unite members on the Clyde employed by Capita, who provide onsite fire cover for both Faslane and Coulport naval bases, are stepping up their strike action to include November 10, 16, 18 and 22.
Capita insist there is no risk, saying: “We are disappointed by Unite’s further escalation of industrial action regarding MOD-approved changes that have been made to resourcing levels at Faslane and Coulport.
"We have a range of contingency options agreed with Defence Fire and Rescue and the Royal Navy’s Clyde leadership team which will ensure the delivery of fire service operations is maintained. All resilience firefighters are appropriately trained and qualified for the tasks they undertake , with qualifications cross mapped and assessed against defence standards.”
Action has been previously was given the go-ahead following a ballot of workers after managers proceeded with cuts to eight posts from the specialist fire safety crew at HM Naval Base Clyde, a reduction in strength of 15 per cent, with the a union describing it as an "an accident waiting to happen".
The cuts were confirmed to staff earlier this year by Capita which won the contract in 2020 for fire response services from the Ministry of Defence and insists the cuts would actually improve safety.
Unite say that during periods of industrial action, HMNB Clyde firefighters have raised concerns over the resilience crews brought in to cover that "may not have the competencies" to deal with unique safety critical assets, and "risks related to maritime fire-fighting and nuclear radiation".
Capita won the contract in 2020 for fire response services from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
And the union has been critical of the decision taken by Capita management in consultation with the Ministry of Defence to press ahead with cuts to fire crews alongside what they describe as a lack of promised new fire vehicles and updated equipment.
The union representing around 45 fire safety crew workers has made repeated representations to Capita management which have raised "more concerns", in addition to those around staffing levels.
Capita has previously stated that they intend to mitigate safety risks due to the cuts through an investment in new technology to reduce fire risk".
It was understood Capita were set to seek local authority support from nearby fire stations in an effort to 'back fill' the specialist safety response.
Debbie Hutchings, Unite industrial officer, said: “Unite has major concerns over the effectiveness and competence of the replacement crews being brought in to cover during periods of industrial action at the Clyde naval bases. We have contacted the MOD with a list of our concerns, and want assurances that they are addressed, specifically, over the necessary standards of training that are expected on site. If we do not receive these assurances then it opens up the real possibility that not only has safety been compromised at the nuclear bases but that it has in fact been permitted by the MOD.”
Her Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde is the navy's headquarters in Scotland and is best known as Britain's nuclear weapons base, in the form of a fleet of four Vanguard-class submarines equipped with Trident nuclear missiles and five other Astute and Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered attack submarines.
Workers believe the cuts impair the abilities of the onsite fire crews to do their jobs properly, particularly, in relation to incidents that would involve wearing breathing apparatus.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Industrial action by Unite members on the Clyde has been taken in direct response to cuts in crew levels and ongoing safety critical concerns. Capita should be under no illusions that Unite is determined to fight to defend the jobs, pay and conditions of our members. So, these workers will have the full force of Unite behind them as they seek to protect not only workers on the bases but local communities.”
Capita added: “Our recommendations to increase or decrease resourcing levels at any MOD site have to be endorsed by Defence Fire and Rescue’s Chief Fire Officer, and ultimately approved by the site’s leadership team. Any such decision would follow on from a thorough review of fire risks. In this case, our proposed changes were also validated through the conduct of 4 confirmatory exercises and a lengthy process of scrutiny by the base leadership team.
“Capita is working with Defence Fire and Rescue to modernise the MOD’s fire and rescue capability. Our £85 million investment in new firefighting vehicles, digital technology, and enhanced training facilities is improving firefighting capabilities and reducing risk to our firefighters, MOD personnel and critical military assets.”
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