In July 2009, the UNITE trade union published a new policy paper:-

"Maintaining a World Class Shipbuilding Sector in the UK"

In summer 2008 UNITE held its annual shipbuilding sector conference, read about the outcomes in their conference report

This complements its 'Industrial Sector Factsheet:Shipbuilding" which states that:-

• Shipbuilding and ship repair is an industry of strategic importance to the UK, the research and development work carried out transposes across many other UK sectors.

• There are more than 150 shipyards in the European Union, employing 55,000 workers.

• The Defence Industrial Strategy has provided a clearer, long term procurement strategy for the sector; this has provided a government commitment to the long term job security of workers in the sector.

• In the UK 16,000 people are employed in shipbuilding, ship repair and conversion.

• The annual turnover of the UK Shipbuilding and Repair industry is £1.6 - £2.0 billion per annum.

• Amicus represents more than 7,000 members in the Shipbuilding and Repair industries.

Current Issues and Activities

• Over the past 30 years, the UK shipbuilding, repair and conversion industry has seen substantial rationalisations, mergers and consolidations.  This has been set against a background of increasing shipbuilding capacity in China and South Korea, and continuing debates about shipbuilding subsidies.
  
• The industry in the UK is currently over-reliant on MOD contracts for work, and there is an unhealthy balance of defence versus commercial business.
  
• The Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy was published in December 2005.  It is intended to develop a clearer joint understanding across government, industry and the unions regarding the technologies and capabilities that are essential to retain onshore, and to ensure that the skills and expertise necessary for these strategic capabilities are protected.
  
• The Ministry of Defence has embarked on the largest procurement programme of new ships for the Royal Navy. Over the next 15 years, the UK is planning to replace and upscale its naval fleet.  The production period for this work is 2007-2011, which could create and secure several thousand jobs in UK shipyards and related industries
  
• This expansion throws up significant challenges for the sector, these include; fulfilling increased labour demands with highly skilled workers, meeting the demand for final assembly and outfitting facilities, ensuring that long-term industrial investment is encouraged and the implementation of a training and development strategy that encourages the recruitment of apprenticeships (of all ages), ensuring that the highly skilled workers needed to fulfil these contracts are available at the right time.

KOFAC endorses UNITE's policy. In particular, we welcome UNITE's stance on the need for:-

• Defence equipment purchases to pass three sovereignty tests -

         (a) Manufacture must be UK based

         (b) R + D must include UK content

         (c) IPR of products must be UK based

• Retention of the skills experience and knowledge in the shipbuilding and repair sector.
• Crediting the right economic environment to enable the sector to flourish and grow.

KOFAC has urged UNITE to strongly support delivery of the whole of the planned naval shipbuilding and submarine programmes detailed in the 2005 Defence Industrial Strategy issued by the UK Government, including the Successor submarine fleet.