Union GMB Scotland has hit out proposals by the Scottish Labour party to oppose renewing the Trident Nuclear Programme.

The party included opposition to Trident renewal in its recent manifesto, reflecting its decision to back scrapping the scheme in 2015.

However, GMB Scotland will tell the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) at a conference today, 20 April, that the labour movement is in no position to play "fast and loose" with jobs in the defence sector.

STUC is set to move Motion 113 in support of the Trident successor programme, with GMB Scotland claiming it will provide thousands of highly skilled manufacturing and maintenance jobs across the Scottish economy.


The union will argue that the renewal programme 'is essential to sustain high value jobs and skills' amid the current economic landscape.

Gary Smith, GMB Scottish Secretary, said: "The Scottish labour movement is in no position whatsoever to play fast and loose with thousands of livelihoods at Faslane, Coulport, Rosyth and across our wider defence-related industries.

"We are in danger of wishing away these jobs on a point of principle without even a hint of a credible plan B, which will only accelerate the continued decline of skilled manufacturing in Scotland and give further rise to low-wage, individualised and precarious employment.

"The successor programme is happening and GMB Scotland is not interested in the empty rhetoric of 'defence diversification' when the reality will be the decimation of high value jobs and skills supporting communities on the Clyde and in Fife."

(LM)