Merseyside Cammell Lairds shipbuilding workers walk out

Merseyside Cammell Lairds shipbuilding workers walk out 23 November, photo Hugh Caffrey

Merseyside Cammell Lairds shipbuilding workers walk out 23 November, photo Hugh Caffrey   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Hugh Caffrey, North West Socialist Party regional secretary

Cammell Lairds shipbuilding workers in Birkenhead, Merseyside walked out on 23 November at the start of their overtime ban and ahead of three weeks of rolling strikes beginning 26 November at 7am.

Despite £619 million in orders, Lairds bosses want to lay off 291 workers, a vicious Victorian Christmas ‘present’ to hardworking workers. The Unite and GMB general trade unions fear this is a step towards casualising the workforce.

The action had massive support from union members at the yard, and the wider Merseyside labour and trade union movement which turned out in force to show their support. See how you can help at unitetheunion.org