Defence sector updates

Prospect has established a new branch in the Submarine Delivery Agency. This move aims to provide a stronger, more focused representation for the specialised workforce responsible for the UK’s submarine capabilities and to ensure that we are at the forefront of organising and representing our members around crucial projects like AUKUS moving forward.

The Submarine Delivery Agency

The Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA), established in April 2018, plays a critical role in maintaining the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent, known as the Trident program. The agency is tasked with managing the design, construction, and maintenance of the UK’s nuclear submarines. These submarines are a cornerstone of the nation’s defence strategy, making the work of SDA employees highly specialised and essential.

Given the complexity and national importance of their work, civil servants in the SDA face unique challenges, including stringent security requirements, high-stakes project timelines, and the need for advanced technical skills.

Until recently, their representation within existing trade unions has been somewhat fragmented, with broader union branches covering a range of roles in the arms-length parts of the MOD or among a branch with DE&S staff depending on the union.

Our new branch seeks to address that by providing a dedicated platform for the specific issues facing SDA staff in their increasingly independent approach to industrial relations.

The formation of the new union branch

The establishment of the new trade union branch has been driven by the recognition that SDA employees require tailored representation to address their distinct working conditions and that our existing structure of conjoining the branch with Defence, Equipment & Support (DE&S) has been increasingly not working for either DE&S or SDA members. The drive towards a new branch has been spearheaded by reps in the SDA to ensure that they have an independent voice in the union to engage with our structures.

One of the primary goals of the new branch is to ensure that SDA employees have a strong voice in negotiations concerning working conditions, pay, and job security. The branch will also focus on health and safety issues, particularly given the high-risk nature of submarine delivery work and the poor state of infrastructure we see in the Clyde in particular. Our promise is that we will continue to push on pay and engage with the employer constructively through regular engagement.

We expect that founding the new branch will benefit both our SDA members and our work organising in the broader submarine industry. The branch promises more targeted support, and a stronger collective voice in negotiations with management. Prospect having a stronger position as the leading union in the customer side of the sector will enhance our ability to negotiate, lobby, and speak with authority in the wider sector.

Looking ahead

The launch of this new trade union branch marks a significant step forward in the representation of SDA staff. In the coming months, the branch leadership plans to hold a series of meetings and workshops to engage with members and identify the most pressing issues that need to be addressed. The branch will also work closely with other unions in the defence sector to ensure a coordinated approach to common challenges.

As the Submarine Delivery Agency continues its vital work in safeguarding the nation’s security, the new trade union branch will play an equally crucial role in safeguarding the rights and well-being of the workers who make that mission possible.

Multiple reps came from five different branches who work on and support the Portsmouth Dockyard, representing both the public and private parts of the Sector.

The reps were able to discuss matters about work in the yard, changes that they felt needed to be made and areas, in which, they could find a common cause. One rep was able to bring up an example of their maintenance team been taken back in house, rather than using a chain of external contractors to resolve simple or immediate issues, they could get work done immediately. They offered to share the strategy, as a case study, which other branches can use.

Another rep raised the issue of working away from home, and often having to stay in restrictive conditions of near imprisonment.

The reps agreed that some of the fundamental issues are related to HR not fully understanding the work members do and putting in procedures which are in conflict to the benefits of workers and the company.

The first meeting of the Portsmouth Coalition of Prospect’s Portsmouth Dockyard reps

In going forward reps wanted to look at:

1. Lobbying around outdated and dangerous site kit and infrastructure
2. Entitlements and allowances (to help support working on and off site) for all staff connected to wellbeing
3. Waste and inefficiency of current spending linked to outsourcing

On the instruction of our reps Prospect will be following up on these talking points to help support a unified campaign across the Portsmouth site.

Prospect are using these coalition meetings to build mutual cooperation and networks of support between our reps and members, working across the same work programme, employer, supply chain and location.

If you would like to engage with the work of our coalitions get in touch with us at [email protected].

Portsmouth Coalition

Striking Prospect members on the picket line at Defence Equipment and Support in Bristol

Strike over pay erosion

The strike was centred around the critical issue of pay erosion and highlights the growing frustrations and concerns of the workforce, who have seen their real incomes diminish in real terms by over 30% since 2007.

Declining pay at DE&S [click to expand]

A decade of decline

For many of these dedicated professionals, the past decade and a half has been a period of increasing financial strain. Despite their crucial role in national defence, their pay has not kept pace with inflation and rising living costs. This prolonged erosion of pay has left many struggling to make ends meet, and the impact on morale and job satisfaction has been profound.

The impact on skills and retention

One of the most pressing concerns voiced by the striking workers is the effect this pay erosion has had on the retention of skilled personnel.

The defence sector relies heavily on highly specialised skills and expertise, and as more employees leave for better-paid opportunities elsewhere, the risk of a significant skills gap grows as does the ability of DE&S to act as an intelligent customer.

This not only threatens the quality and effectiveness of the work being done but also the future readiness and capability of the defence infrastructure and procurement across the UK.

Members have had enough

Yesterday’s strike is a clear message from the members of Prospect: they have had enough. Our members’ are mission driven and believe in their work in defence and as defence civil servants. The decision to strike is never taken lightly, especially in a field as critical as defence. However, the members feel that they have been left with no other option.

The strike is not just about pay; it’s about fairness, recognition, and the sustainability of the workforce.

Ongoing industrial action

In addition to yesterday’s strike, Prospect has announced that action short of a strike will begin, and will look at targeted industrial action, until the dispute is resolved.

This means that while yesterday’s strike is a significant escalation, it is by no means the end of the union’s efforts. The workers are prepared to maintain pressure on the employer through various forms of industrial action and leverage to ensure that their voices are heard and their demands are taken seriously.

A call for negotiation

Despite the strong stance taken yesterday, the door remains open for negotiation. Prospect has made it clear that we are ready and willing to engage in meaningful discussions with the employer to reach a fair resolution, however, the employer must meaningfully engage with us too.

Prospect believes that through negotiation, a solution can be found that addresses the concerns of the workers while ensuring the continued effectiveness and efficiency of the defence sector.

The road ahead

As the strike continues, the hope is that it will prompt a renewed commitment from the employer to address the long-standing issues around pay erosion. DE&S staff are not just striking for themselves, but for the future of their profession and the viability of the MoD to act as an intelligent customer.

Their stand yesterday is a testament to their dedication and their belief in the importance of fair and just compensation for their vital work.

DE&S staff have taken an important step yesterday to ensure that their voices are heard, and that they are taken seriously by an employer that has demonstrated time and time again over the last decade that they are not willing to address the real and substantive issues of pay and its effects on the erosion of skills in the economy.

Nathan Morrison

MindSet BtS Roadshow 2024

We want to work with members to make sure that employers are upholding their legal obligation.

We want to fight against the causes of strain in mental health such as job insecurity, poor pay, overwork and the loss of T&Cs.

A special thank you to our BAE Land Branch who have been running interactive events at Radway Green, Glascoed and Washington. Helen Carp (Sector President) and Aditya Narayanan have helped to support this work on site.

Mental Health at Work – Prospect Resources

Dear member,

Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy

As I said in my blog at the start of the year, growing our membership and delivering for you informs every decision we make about how the union is run.

Because of this focus we have recently formally established two new sectors in the union. We are welcoming the Defence and Heritage sectors, alongside our existing sectors:

• Public Services
• Energy
• Bectu
• IT and Telecoms

Our new Defence Sector

Approximately 30 senior Prospect reps working in defence attended the launch of the new Prospect Defence Sector, where they were also joined by Maria Eagle MP, the Shadow Procurement Minister.

Defence Sector Launch

Maria Eagle MP: Labour will reform defence procurement

Best wishes,

Mike Clancy
General Secretary

Civil service numbers and headcount controls

We express serious concerns about the attainability of reducing civil service numbers to 2019 levels, or potentially below those levels if further reductions are required due to post Brexit growth in other CS areas, given the current geopolitical situation.

The department is being asked to do more than it ever has before but with already high levels of vacancies and now restrictive headcount controls. The PS talked about both prioritising work and using technology to realise efficiencies however we are concerned that given the sheer scale of the ask this is going to be very difficult to achieve.

The PS at this stage ruled out a general voluntary exit scheme.

Workplace attendance

The PS stated that, broadly the department was meeting the 60% target set by ministers, with some challenges in specific parts of the estate and confirmed that while there is an expectation on the senior civil service to be in more frequently that this will not be a formal objective.

We stated our continued objection to arbitrary targets particularly where, due to a lack of desk space, it is not achieving the goal of collaboration. We also raised concerns about infrastructure capacity, canteens, meeting rooms, lockers and touchdown desks to support the policy.

We pushed that were there was no busy need that roles where staff can be as, or more productive working from home, should be allowed to do so and attend as required.

We expressed concerns that the department was moving away from the biggest technological and productivity improvements we have seen in the last decade through the deployment of flexible working, for those whose role allows it, at a time when they are also saying they need to do exactly this to make savings.

Women in Defence

We presented the PS with the outcome of the Prospect survey of female members in defence. It makes grim reading. We pushed that the department needs to shift from listening session to actions. We are still of the view that there needs to be an independent review of past cases as we have seen in other areas like the Houses of Parliament. The PS referred to the advisory board which includes representatives from NHS and the Houses of Parliament. Further meetings with the unions have been set up to discuss policy and process in this area.

Headcount controls

We are constantly pushing the issues caused by the headcount controls in place across the department. Most areas are covering significant vacancy levels and are only being allowed to fill a fraction of those posts.

Understandably safety critical, legislatively required posts are being prioritised but this leads to the concern that other roles, which are essential are being held empty putting further work on colleagues. We are pushing for more clarity to be given on when posts which are deemed essential will be filled rather than the current position where significant number of posts have been deemed required but are not being filled.

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

Following pushback from the unions and others it has been agreed that all staff routinely working in the non-secure areas will be given the option of either having a secure USB key or putting the authenticator app on their personal device. If members have any concerns about using their own device for MFA they should opt for the USB key solution. For those working in secure areas there is also a USB key solution which complies with the device requirements for those areas.

RAST

We, alongside our sister unions have formally objected to the dissolution of the Reasonable
Adjustments Services Team (RAST) team. By removing it, a number of policies across MOD are potentially compromised as it’s the organisation disability confident status. The Maritime C5ISR Support Unit (MCSU) has written to the employer seeking resolution.

Surveyor allowance

Following proposals to amend the MFA paid to estate surveyors in the Defence Industry Organisation (DIO) we have formally written to the employer and held two meetings to try and bottom out the issues caused. The changes expand the scope of the allowance to a wider group but remove it from those without, or actively seeking chartered status.

Following discussions, the DIO will go back to the civ HR seeking to give those who would lose the allowance a further opportunity to retain it by agreeing to seek chartership and exploring an experience-based route to chartership. While it would have been preferable to have some kind of run down for those losing the allowance this at least give them the options to retain it if they wish.

Pay

The budget did not include any announcements about public sector pay. We are engaging with cabinet office on the pay remit guidance and will have an update as and when there is a policy to be announced.

David Avery,
Assistant Secretary – Defence

Why did you become involved in the union?

I’ve been involved in workers organisations for a while now, prior to the union I was involved in some political groups. For my entire adult life, I’ve been class conscious. Growing up in a working-class environment, single parent family… the usual story I suppose. When I entered the workplace at a young age, I was distinctly aware of the contradictions of the class dynamic which led to me becoming passionate about workers rights. Ultimately, we spend most of our time in the workplace, often more time than we spend with our partners, or our families and I felt a sort of moral obligation to involve myself. I’ve been vice chair and more recently chair in the Rosyth branch and I noticed some areas for improvement which we’ve currently been working on.

What did you see as the main challenges in your branch?

Rather than focus on the challenges and issues which we could see we set out a plan to engage the membership. Starting simply by going into all the different areas where our members worked and asking them their opinion on the union, how things had been in the past, if they had any current issues and how they felt the situation in the union could be improved.

The general thought process behind this was that we as reps could potentially be too close to see the issues, also a bit of member engagement and validating their concerns never hurts.

After collating the notes from various areas, we formed a bit of a Gap analysis of what the members expectations were and what we had done in the past. From this we found we had 4 key areas for improvement which we had to formulate a plan to improve, communicate our improvements plans and actions to the membership and then provide evidence to show that we were actively moving forward. The 4 main points which came up were;

• General lack of communication, members often felt the paid they union and voted on pay once a year and that was it, we needed to drum up engagement, comms and bring more value to our members.
• Lack of visible representation, members felt they didn’t know who their reps were, and the reps committee had taken a hit over the years, down to about 5 reps in total for a site of our size was extremely lacking.
• There was a feeling the union didn’t back its members, we had to work on optics and carrying out the work members expected of us.
• Many members didn’t know what the union did outside of pay. We realized we needed a lot more transparency in our actions and the roles of the reps alongside the unions outside activities.

Going forward after identifying the issues what actions did Rosyth take to grow the membership?

The plan going forward was to focus improvement on the 4 key areas previously mentioned. We started hosting drop-in sessions for members to come along and discuss union membership with us during one of the weeks where a 3 months free offer was on and set about communicating our improvement plans to the membership.

Without going into too much detail we took massive steps in improving communication, ran a recruitment drive for new reps and arranged on site training of reps 1 & 2 to build competency as quickly and with as little disruption to the individual as possible.

We then set about forming a plan to build the branch competency by introducing some much-needed new senior roles which we lacked, organiser, equality rep etc. the key thing was that when we made an improvement we communicated it to the membership regularly, letting them know our progress. Obviously, this all resulted in a massive increase in numbers, we were floating around the 400 members mark and after our actions and the word of mouth spreading around the yard our numbers are now fast approaching 600.

Our increase has been quite significant considering we only started in April 2023, this has allowed us much more bargaining power with the company during pay negotiations and because we built the reps committee up to 20+ active and trained reps we’ve been more able to meet the expectations of our members. It also helped that we had a difficult ongoing pay negotiation, I think the way we presented ourselves to membership in mass meetings inspired confidence we’ve been quite stringent on maintaining honest and open dialog.

What was the most effective method in growing membership

Before we discuss specifics, consistency is key. Say what you’re going to do and then make sure you do it well. This is key both with the reps committee and with the membership. Running the drop ins and doing site walkarounds during 3 months free events was really good to get the numbers up, you need to get out there and interact with your membership, hiding behind a desk simply doesn’t work. After you start hitting improvement targets the situation snowballs, inspire the membership and they will get behind you.

Generally finding our “win conditions” by working out the material conditions for low membership were and then forming an action plan and following it through.

How did you increase the Reps numbers?

It sounds simple but…. you ask people. When people know you’re on a journey to improve something and you say you need help you’ll get people involved, when people get involved, you solve more problems and when you solve more problems you get more people.

We did discuss the onsite training to make it easier for people, we described the role of reps repeatedly any time we interacted with the membership directly. We did some work putting posters up stating we were actively recruiting reps and naming the reps of an area, if an area had no representation, we stated that on the poster, noted the contact details of the senior rep’s team and asked people to get involved. There was a bit of networking in identifying key individuals who regularly spoke up or were involved in groups such as the LGBT committee, women’s network, neurodiversity network etc and going to areas which were underrepresented and talking to them as a group to find people who might have the skills for the role.

What have the results been from the beginning until now

I think we’ve taken a branch which was essentially on life support with a very disenfranchised membership and completely turned it around. The membership numbers are higher than they’ve been in almost a decade, we’re no longer burning out reps as the workload can be shared and we’ve a great and enthusiastic membership, it can’t be stated enough how engaged our members are. Everyone seems to be pulling in the same direction.

We’ve still got a way to go, and I think we’ll continue to utilise the same methods we have been to improve the branch effectiveness. When we started our goal was to reach 500 members and we’ve blown way past that, our new goal by the end of 2024 is to get closer to 700, whilst I thought this might be impossible when we got started, I’m now firmly of the belief that this is achievable.

Bob King, National Secretary for Defence, spoke to ITV news:

Yesterday, Prospect members at AWE took strike action over pay.@BobKingProspect spoke to ITV about the dispute 📺 pic.twitter.com/selRd5lYsR

— Prospect Union (@ProspectUnion) January 25, 2024

What our members had to say:

Read more about why our members at AWE are on strike today: https://t.co/Q9c8MvvYdc pic.twitter.com/0TMqfZ4MiN

— Prospect Union (@ProspectUnion) January 24, 2024

Yesterday, hundreds of members marched to AWE’s executive offices chanting the chorus of Aretha Franklin’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T 📢

Our members deserve better. pic.twitter.com/rsf5fxIFzb

— Prospect Union (@ProspectUnion) January 26, 2024

Here is some more coverage of the strike:

BBC: AWE: Berkshire atomic weapons workers strike over pay

ITV: Workers at Atomic Weapons Establishment in Berkshire strike over pay

Newbury today: 24-hour strike going ahead at AWE Aldermaston today

The latest revelation has been reported in the Guardian newspaper with further details in our news story.

Prospect is supporting the woman, who has come forward to detail her experience in the hope it will help prevent others having to suffer the same behaviour.

Furthermore, Prospect is working to address these concerns, as a trade union and has gathered feedback on the issues which confirm:

• There have been various MOD reviews but nothing changes in practice.
• There is a complete lack of transparency on case numbers and outcomes – including whether cases were upheld or not, so women don’t know whether they have been taken seriously.
• There is a lack of appropriate resource to handle complaints and there doesn’t seem to be a consistent procedural approach.
• Several women also spoke of a ‘pack’ culture and the prevalence of low level misogyny.

Prospect will continue working to highlight and end this toxic culture by working with members, the employer, MPs and the government.

See more about our work to tackle sexual harassment and support members.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss AUKUS, the tri-partite agreement between Australia, the UK and US on the provision of a new nuclear powered submarine as well as joint advances in areas such as cyber, AI and quantum technologies.

The CSEU delegation in included Bob King, Prospect National Secretary for Defence, who raised a number of issues during the meeting at Australia House.

Bob King said;

“It was refreshing to be invited to meet the Minister (something sadly lacking from the UK Government) who wanted our views on how we could ensure that all countries had the skills needed for the project to be a success.

I raised the fact that both the UK and US needed to train more specialists in all areas of the endeavour and that nuclear safety and threat reduction, had to be at the forefront of that training.”

There was a shared understanding that it would be in no one’s interest to continually move staff from country to country and that training up more staff, across all disciplines in all three countries, was the key.

Bob King said;

“There will be some UK staff going to Australia to get things underway and there are Australian staff coming here to learn, but we need more people all round so it was good that all parties recognise we need to plan.”

Prospect will be meeting the Australian AUKUS team, based in the UK for the life of the project, in the future and will be maintaining the relationship to ensure Prospect members are front and centre of the submarine enterprise.

If you would like to engage with the defence sector, make us aware of any issues, successes and developments in your branch please contact us.

Bob King,
National Secretary, Defence