The two Unions that saved Rosyth

For me it was great to be back in Rosyth in the Kingdom of Fife. It is the yard that refused to die and only lived on because of the solidarity between workers in Scotland and England.

Then Scotland’s biggest industrial establishment, when Rosyth faced closure in 1992, it was only a concerted union campaign with workers in Scotland and Plymouth backing each other up that won the day, Rosyth and Devonport united.

The great battle to save Rosyth was a classic example of why the Union between England and Scotland matters.

I was spokesman for the defence unions at the time. I remember addressing meetings of 9,000 workers in Plymouth and 3,000 in Rosyth, and the solidarity between Devonport and Rosyth workers was remarkable.

They would not let their colleagues in Scotland down and the Scottish workers backed the southern yards to the hilt.

But it was two Unions that saved Rosyth. It wasn’t just a trade union in action it was the Union between England and Scotland in action, because Scottish workers knew that without defence contract from the UK their days were numbered.

We came within three days of a closure announcement for Rosyth but instead the Tories were forced to back down, and we won a 13 year allocated work programme.

I then led the Union campaign for Rosyth to play a pivotal role in the building of the new aircraft carriers.

It was a proud moment, therefore, to see the launch last month, a launch of a great ship at a great Yard that refused to die.

Some trade unionists might think of voting yes but the majority of defence workers know the danger of the ‘Yes’ campaign. It is only by working together that we will keep defence and shipyard jobs in Scotland. Call it good old fashioned solidarity, call it thanks, but No thanks.

Jack Dromey MP is former deputy General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union