The firm at the centre of a potential strike which could lay up warships at Devonport naval base said it has offered compromises and is willing to take part in further talks.
Outsourcing giant Serco has found itself at loggerheads with the Unite union over new working conditions for tub boat crews at the Plymouth dockyard.
About 45 tractor tug crew members, employed by Serco Marine, are being balloted for strike action by the union which said it will announce the result after the ballot ends on December 2.
If they strike it could cause major disruption for Royal Navy ship movements in and out of Devonport naval base and dockyard.
The union said members are “extremely angry and ready to fight” against proposed changes which they say will “dangerously” increase fatigue amongst tug crews, who deal with military vessels, including nuclear submarines.
Unite said changing working pattern from one-week-on-and-one-week-off to three-weeks-on-and-three-weeks-off is unpopular and also mean workers will lose annual leave allocations.
But Serco said the change will mean crews still work 26 weeks of the year and that the nub of the dispute is about additional time off.
Serco said that previous arrangements meant staff were afforded 26 weeks off and an additional 16 days and said: “The disagreement relates to the removal of the 16 additional days."
Most Read
The firm said it has offered a compromise on the 16 days leave and stands ready to continue negotiations to avoid an “all or nothing” scenario.
It stressed that all proposed changes are aligned to industry practice and meet maritime regulatory compliance under the Merchant Shipping Working Time Regulations.
Serco said all employees will continue to receive 30 days annual leave plus eight days bank holiday, pro-rated for part-time staff, within the 26 weeks off.
It said consultation began in August for the 91 workers affected, but 45 people have not accepted the new rosters, even though some adjustments have been agreed to the original proposals based on feedback during the consultation process.
Salli Shapcott, Serco contract director of Maritime Services, said: ”Serco is disappointed that the Unite union has balloted for industrial action.
“We stand ready to continue the discussions and hope that an amicable and constructive solution can be found.”
Want more Plymouth business news straight to your inbox?
BusinessLive South West is home for all your Plymouth business news as well as relevant stories from across the wider region.
You can sign up to receive daily morning business bulletins and we'll send out breaking news alerts for any stories we think you can't miss.
Visit our email preference centre to sign up to all the latest news from BusinessLive.
Don’t miss
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
Unite said Royal Naval shipping could face severe disruption if the tug operators go on strike, and said moving from a one-week to a three-week rota will cause fatigue, lose holiday entitlement and adversely affect the crew members’ home and family lives.
A ballot opened on Tuesday, November 24, and will close on Wednesday, December 2, with possible strike action beginning as early as December, the union said.
Unite regional officer Terry Keefe said the tug crews have worked through the coronavirus crisis when much of Serco’s dockside management was absent.
He said: “Our members are extremely angry and ready to fight against what are in effect attacks on their quality of life.
“Unite is confident that the strike ballot will result in a 'yes' vote. This is not something our members want to do, but they have been forced into a corner.”