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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Union say ship workers face axe | Union say ship workers face axe |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One of the few remaining shipyards on the River Clyde is expected to make two-thirds of its workforce redundant on Monday, according to a trade union. | One of the few remaining shipyards on the River Clyde is expected to make two-thirds of its workforce redundant on Monday, according to a trade union. |
| The GMB union said the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow would make 75 posts redundant. | The GMB union said the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow would make 75 posts redundant. |
| If it goes ahead, the move would leave about 30 workers at the site. | If it goes ahead, the move would leave about 30 workers at the site. |
| Union officials want the Scottish Executive to place an order for a £14m fisheries protection vessel at the yard to safeguard its future. | Union officials want the Scottish Executive to place an order for a £14m fisheries protection vessel at the yard to safeguard its future. |
| The chairman of the shipbuilding and engineering unions in Scotland, Jim Moohan, said the site was on the edge of closure. | The chairman of the shipbuilding and engineering unions in Scotland, Jim Moohan, said the site was on the edge of closure. |
| Mr Moohan said: "I believe Ferguson's is now on the verge of extinction and that 100 years of shipbuilding on the lower reaches of the Clyde is about to come to a end. | Mr Moohan said: "I believe Ferguson's is now on the verge of extinction and that 100 years of shipbuilding on the lower reaches of the Clyde is about to come to a end. |
| France or Germany wouldn't watch work could go out of their countries if they could stop one of their homegrown firms closing. Why should we? Jim MoohanConfederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions | |
| "It's now time for First Minister Jack McConnell to stand up for those workers and for Scotland and place that order for the fisheries protection vessel here. | "It's now time for First Minister Jack McConnell to stand up for those workers and for Scotland and place that order for the fisheries protection vessel here. |
| "All blame for these job losses must lie with the executive for being a stickler for EU rules. | "All blame for these job losses must lie with the executive for being a stickler for EU rules. |
| "France or Germany wouldn't watch work go out of their countries if they could stop one of their homegrown firms closing. Why should we?" | "France or Germany wouldn't watch work go out of their countries if they could stop one of their homegrown firms closing. Why should we?" |
| Ferguson's has been dogged by setbacks in recent years and was threatened with closure in 2005, when the shipyard lost a vital executive contract to build a new Scottish fisheries protection vessel to a Polish rival. | Ferguson's has been dogged by setbacks in recent years and was threatened with closure in 2005, when the shipyard lost a vital executive contract to build a new Scottish fisheries protection vessel to a Polish rival. |
| A few months later Ferguson's bounced back to beat the competition and land a £5.8m ferry order from Caledonian MacBrayne. | A few months later Ferguson's bounced back to beat the competition and land a £5.8m ferry order from Caledonian MacBrayne. |
| But it lost out again when its bid to build a £14m fisheries protection vessel was turned down in early 2006 in preference of Devon-based Appledore. | But it lost out again when its bid to build a £14m fisheries protection vessel was turned down in early 2006 in preference of Devon-based Appledore. |
| An executive spokesman said: "There are no current tenders for fisheries protection vessels following the identification of flaws in the previous tender process. | An executive spokesman said: "There are no current tenders for fisheries protection vessels following the identification of flaws in the previous tender process. |
| Important skills | Important skills |
| "The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency said it would review internal procedures. The SFPA will not re-tender until the review is completed." | "The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency said it would review internal procedures. The SFPA will not re-tender until the review is completed." |
| The Scottish National Party said the possible job losses were evidence of a failure in economic management by the executive. | The Scottish National Party said the possible job losses were evidence of a failure in economic management by the executive. |
| SNP enterprise spokesman Jim Mather MSP said: "The warning signs have been there for the past few years yet they (ministers) have failed to address them. | SNP enterprise spokesman Jim Mather MSP said: "The warning signs have been there for the past few years yet they (ministers) have failed to address them. |
| "Instead of taking the opportunity to place publicly-funded ship orders we yet again see the results of their failure to keep important skills in Scotland." | "Instead of taking the opportunity to place publicly-funded ship orders we yet again see the results of their failure to keep important skills in Scotland." |
| No-one was available for comment at the Ferguson shipyard. | No-one was available for comment at the Ferguson shipyard. |