1000 ROSYTH JOBS ON LINE OVER U.S. DEAL; MoD contract snub 'could kill yard' Exclusive.Byline: Paul Sinclair UNIONS fear the Rosyth Dockyard Rosyth Dockard is a large naval dockyard in Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, which today primarily undertakes refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels. Rosyth Dockyard is owned by Babcock PLC. will close if a controversial American firm win a massive Navy order. And last night, they warned that a decision to award the pounds 2.9billion contract to Halliburton will lead to 1000 jobs being lost. In January of last year, the Ministry of Defence announced the task of building two 60,000-ton aircraft carriers was going to be shared between BAe Systems BAE Systems British manufacturer of aircraft, missiles, avionics, naval vessels, and other aerospace and defense products. BAE Systems was formed (1999) from the merger of British Aerospace (BAe) with Marconi Electronic Systems. and French shipbuilders Thales. It was planned that the ships would be assembled at Rosyth after parts were constructed in France and at Glasgow's Govan shipyard. But Halliburton's emergence as favourites could spell disaster for the Fife site, which is already investing to prepare for the start of the assembly work on the carriers in 2007. Amicus AMICUS Automated Management Information Civil Users System union convener at Rosyth, Raymond Duguid, warned: 'If Halliburton win this contract I hope they recognise Rosyth is the best yard to assemble the carriers. 'If the work goes elsewhere we would lose a thousand jobs and could face closure.' The giant US firm own the disused oil platform at Nigg in the Cromarty Firth Cromarty Firth (krŏm`ərtē), deep narrow inlet of Moray Firth, c.15 mi (25 km) long, Highland, N Scotland. It provides excellent anchorage, its narrow entrance being protected by the headlands of the Sutor rocks, more than 400 ft (122 m) and could carry out assembly there. The winner of the contract to be the 'physical integrator' will be made before Christmas. But MoD sources say the Americans are hot favourites. Halliburton were once run by vice-president Dick Cheney and won contracts worth billions to rebuild Iraq. The firm are being probed by US authorities for alleged accounting fraud and the FBI are investigating how they won the Iraq orders. The carrier contract would be carried out by a subsidiary, Kellogg, Brown and Root. The firm are in financial difficulties and Halliburton are considering selling the firm. KBR KBR Kellogg, Brown and Root KBr Potassium Bromide KBR Key-Based Routing KBR Kota Bharu, Malaysia - Sultan Ismail Petra (Airport Code) KBR Koninklijke Bibliotheek van België / Bibliothèque royale de Belgique ,who own the Nigg yard, would be worth much more if they win this contract. A recommendation from the MoD's procurement office is expected next Tuesday. Duguid added: 'We keep giving the MoD what they ask us for. 'They must stand by us now.' CAPTION(S): RISK: Rosyth workers fear order going to firm once run by Dick Cheney |
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