Yarrow shipyard workers begin pay strike

BRITAIN experienced its first major pay strike for nearly four years yesterday when 1,300 workers began an indefinite stoppage at Yarrow shipbuilders on Clydeside, writes Barrie Clement.

Defying the advice of union officials, they voted at a mass meeting to take industrial action to secure a 'substantial' pay increase. The decision came in the wake of an official ballot which showed a 1,370 to 38 vote in favour of action.

Workers at Yarrow, which makes warships, have been offered lump sums of up to pounds 300 tied to changes in working patterns and tea breaks in settlement of a pay rise due last July.

The shipyard employs 2,300 and is owned by GEC. It insisted there was no more money and that it would sit out the yard's first strike since 1985.

The local government union Nalgo has called an end to a year- long strike at the London borough of Newham over the redeployment of workers involved in the now defunct poll tax. Union leaders decided to withdraw strike pay from the 700 staff still on strike.