Rosyth Jobs Fears

It's claimed shipbuilders in Rosyth are losing their jobs and being excluded from employment opportunities.

The newly-elected MP for Dunfermline and West Fife Douglas Chapman has written to the UK Defence Secretary calling on him to act and investigate the allegations.

Mr Chapman says he's alarmed by claims which suggest migrant workers are being taken on to work longer hours for less money: “We cannot have local workers losing out on the back of the £6.2 billion UK Government defence contract to build two new aircraft carriers – and the UK Government has a duty to ensure that migrant workers are not being exploited. 

“I am deeply concerned about reports that shipbuilders in Rosyth are losing their jobs and being excluded from future work opportunities. I have been equally alarmed to learn that migrant workers are being taken on to work longer hours for less pay.

“These issues need urgent investigation – and I am urging the Ministry of Defence to release the relevant sections of the aircraft carrier contract to establish whether there were workers safeguards put into these huge multi-billion pound contracts – originally signed off by Gordon Brown.” 

When contacted, a spokeperson at the Ministry of Defence said it would be inappropriate to comment until Mr Fallon had responded to Mr Chapman's letter.

Meanwhile, an Aircraft Carrier Alliance spokesperson said: "The ACA has sought and gained reassurance from our suppliers that they comply with all relevant legislation, including the agency worker regulations, which requires that their agency workers’ pay is at least equivalent to that of comparable permanent employees. We will continue to carry out the necessary checks with our suppliers to ensure this is the case and will take the appropriate action to rectify any discrepancies if brought to our attention.
 
"In terms of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), the safety and wellbeing of all our workers is our prime concern. The ACA requires all of its contractors and agents to comply with the EWTD. Workers are not allowed to exceed 48 hours average per week when measured over the allowed 17-week reference period, as required by law. All of our suppliers have assured us that they have systems in place to closely monitor and manage this."