CSEU Maritime Forum strengthens collaboration across UK shipbuilding unions
Representatives from across the UK’s maritime defence sector met at the latest Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU) Maritime Forum, bringing together union representatives to strengthen cooperation and discuss key industrial developments affecting workers across UK shipbuilding sites.
The forum was attended by Prospect Negotiations Officers Leon Walton and William Dooley, alongside David Foote, full-time convenor at Rosyth Babcock Branch. The meeting provided an opportunity for union representatives to exchange updates from major shipbuilding employers and ensure coordinated engagement on workforce issues.
Updates were provided from across the sector, including developments at BAE Systems Maritime operations in Glasgow and Portsmouth, as well as Babcock International facilities in Rosyth, Clyde and Devonport. Representatives discussed ongoing industrial relations matters and workforce/industrial developments.
The forum also welcomed Glenn Thompson, from the Australian Shipbuilding Federation of Unions, who provided an international perspective on the shipbuilding industry. He shared insights into industrial relations within Australia’s manufacturing and naval shipbuilding sector, along with developments connected to the AUKUS programme.
Leon Walton, Prospect Negotiations Officer, highlighted the importance of forums such as the CSEU Maritime Forum in strengthening cooperation across the sector:
“The CSEU Maritime Forum plays a vital role in bringing together affiliated unions and representatives from across the industry. By sharing updates and experiences, we strengthen our collective understanding of the challenges facing the workforce and ensure unions remain coordinated in addressing them.”
He added that the forum remains an important platform for identifying shared concerns and ensuring they are addressed collectively:
“Maintaining open dialogue across unions and sites is essential. The CSEU provides a trusted space where representatives can discuss developments openly, identify collective issues affecting workers. That collaboration helps ensure the workforce has a strong and coordinated voice when facing challenges with leading employers.”
The meeting reinforced the continued importance of cross-union collaboration in supporting workers across the UK’s shipbuilding and maritime defence industry.
Prospect is an affliated trade union of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions.
