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Chatham Dockyard (Nuclear Reactor Compartment)

Volume 949: debated on Tuesday 9 May 1978

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asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the strike of fitters in the nuclear reactor compartment at Chatham Dockyard in view of the highly sensitive nature of plant and the work carried out by the men working in it.

Following the rejection of their claim for an increased craft allowance 11 mechanical fitters refused to continue to work in the nuclear reactor compartments of two submarines under refit at Chatham Dockyard and as a consequence were taken off pay. Some 60 other mechanical fitters stopped work for about two hours on 20th April in support of their colleagues. The 11 men have now resumed reactor compartment work and are pursuing a revised claim at national level through the normal joint negotiating machinery. At no time has this action presented any risk to health or to safety.