Prospect delegates attend virtual CSEU conference

The first Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions Conference to be held virtually was attended by more than 60 delegates from the affiliate trade unions, including a delegation from Prospect.

John Emms (Babcock DCTT Branch), Simon Bracchi (BAE Global Combat Systems) and Del Northcott (Devonport Royal Dockyard Branch) attended the conference for Prospect.

Reports were given from the CSEU General Secretary, as well as CSEU executive members including Bob King, head of Prospect’s Defence Industry Group (DIG), and also chair of the CSEU’s Defence Committee.

Bob’s presentation focussed on the undertakings given by government to use “Britain by default” when purchasing for the MOD and the fact that the first contract, the missile system for the AH64 helicopter had, in fact, gone to an overseas company.

His report also raised concerns that legislation, retained from the UK’s exit from the EU, still pushed defence procurement down to the lowest price and did not actively support the social value ethos apparent from the recent government publications, or the Minister for Defence Procurement’s address to the DIG launch meeting.

The conference carried 16 motions on matters ranging from skills and training, flexible working and just transition, through to ‘Black Lives Matter’, small modular reactors and the new national flagship.

Prospect’s motion on ‘Defence Spending’ was moved by John Emms of the Babcock DCTT Branch who said, “It is apparent that rather than looking to support UK companies, the government has an ‘America First’ policy and while countries around Europe are supporting their workers by using equipment built ‘at home’, the UK is not. We must be active in ensuring this changes.”

The motion was supported by conference delegates and carried unanimously.

The CSEU Conference report, including motions, can be downloaded here.