WORKERS at two of Britain’s nuclear weapons plants where Trident missiles are manufactured are to ballot on strike action to defend their pensions. The government’s Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is the most recent employer to propose scrapping the “defined benefit” scheme based on workers’ final earnings and replace it with ones that rely on the performance of the stock exchange. Around 600 members of union Unite at Aldermaston and Burghfield firms in Berkshire — which has total of 4,000 employees — will vote next week in a bid to prevent AWE cutting their pensions.
Morning Star 14th Oct 2016 read more »
Labour’s new Shadow Defence Secretary backs Trident nuclear deterrent.
Daily Mirror 13th Oct 2016 read more »
In a motion passed last week, Stirling Council agreed it was “unacceptable” vehicles transporting the weapons to the Faslane naval base passed through the city and surrounding towns. The motion declared the council’s commitment to have Stirling and its surroundings designated a nuclear-free zone and its opposition, on “moral and safety grounds” to the transportation of nuclear weapons by road or rail. It was supported unanimously by all parties apart from the Conservatives. Councillor Scott Farmer, SNP group leader, said: “This sends out a strong message from Stirling that our local authority will no longer accept our city, towns and villages being used as transport ground for weapons of mass destruction.”
STV 13th Oct 2016 read more »