UNIONS and managers at Birkenhead’s former Cammell Laird shipyard have agreed a pay deal that staved off industrial action.

Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders has agreed the three-year deal with the GMB and Unite that it says will provide “certainty and stability” for the business, its staff and its customers.

Earlier this week, the GMB announced that 100 of its members had rejected a “miserly” 2.8% pay offer and had voted for industrial action.

The first action, which would have stopped short of a strike, was due to start yesterday, but was cancelled after the deal was agreed late on Thursday at conciliation service Acas.

If a deal had not been agreed, the workers would have walked out every Friday from September 26 until it had been resolved.

The action short of a strike would have included strict enforcement of health and safety procedures, working to rule and an end to lone working.

Details of the pay deal have not yet been disclosed but a GMB spokesman called it an “above inflation” package.

Northwestern managing director John Syvret said: “The company is pleased that this agreement has been reached and we can now look forward to further development and growth.

“I am pleased to say that, as of today, all dry-docks and afloat facilities are fully occupied with these projects employing over 1,000 local people”.

GMB regional officer Dave Hulse said: “Through the good offices of Acas we have been able to secure a deal which is acceptable to the members.”

Fast-growing NSL recently secured a deal with the Ministry of Defence to repair and maintain 11 Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships.

The contract is worth £180m to the company over five years and is likely to pave the way to more MoD contract wins over the following 20 years. NSL’s success has led to a resurgence in shipbuilding in Wirral, seven years after the original Cammell Laird yard collapsed following a contract dispute.

NSL directly employs 450 people, with over 1,000 people working in the shipyard.

NSL is owned by Mr Syvret and Peel Ports, the owner of the Port of Liverpool. The business is planning to bring back the Cammell Laird name.

alistairhoughton