THE Ministry of Defence has been called upon to act following claims that shipbuilders at Rosyth are losing their jobs while migrant workers are being taken on to do longer hours for less pay.
Douglas Chapman, the SNP's newly elected MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, has written to Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary, demanding urgent action to stop migrant workers being exploited and local workers missing out on employment opportunities.
"We cannot have local workers losing out on the back of the £6.2 billion UK Government defence contract to build two new aircraft carriers and the UK Government has a duty to ensure that migrant workers are not being exploited," declared Mr Chapman.
"I am deeply concerned about reports that shipbuilders in Rosyth are losing their jobs and being excluded from future work opportunities. I have been equally alarmed to learn that migrant workers are being taken on to work longer hours for less pay."
The backbencher added: "These issues need urgent investigation and I am urging the Ministry of Defence to release the relevant sections of the aircraft carrier contract to establish whether there were workers' safeguards put into these huge multi-billion pound contracts; originally signed off by Gordon Brown."
Union officials are already investigating the claims about the Scottish shipbuilders and are to contact bosses at the Aircraft Carrier Alliance(ACA) - a partnership agreement between BAE Systems, Babcock, DE&S, Thales and the MoD - about them.
Reports have suggested around 60 electricians working on MoD projects with BAE Systems in Govan are being sacked; workers claim they were offered a move to Rosyth only to be told there were no openings.
Meantime, Romanian pipe fitters, who work 58 hours a week, are believed to be earning less than £2000 a month compared with more than £3000 paid to British workers doing the same job.
ACA has denied that the wages paid to foreigners are unlawful.
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