workers at Kvaerner Govan shipyard last night demanded urgent help from the Government following the loss of a crucial #30m contract to build a British Antarctic survey vessel.
It comes as a huge blow to the yard which provides jobs for 1200. Insiders believe it could face closure in the wake of other job losses at Bishopton and Volvo in Irvine.
The Govan plant will now run out of work by July. It was hoped an order for the survey vessel would persuade the owners of Kvaerner not to abandon their Scottish concern. Two companies, which have not yet been named, are still bidding for the contract.
Mr Paul Emberley, spokesman for the Kvaerner Group, confirmed the loss of the multi-million pound deal.
''We have been dropped out of the running for the contract. It is disappointing, but I cannot speculate about the long-term effects this may have on the Govan site,'' he said. ''We have orders lasting until the middle of the year.''
Union representatives are preparing to meet Scottish Industry Minister Lord Macdonald tomorrow and plan to demand more Government action by urging the Ministry of Defence to bring forward any work it has for Kvaerner.
The yard is in the running to build two aircraft carriers worth #1500m for the MoD.
Mr Jamie Webster, union convener at the Govan yard, said last night that employees were ''gutted'' by the loss of the contract, but were not going to give up the fight for their jobs.
''We are on the edge of a precipice with only five months of work left.''
He added: ''The MoD has work for us and, if Defence Secretary George Robertson can bring contracts forward to bridge the empty months of work left by the loss of this contract, we will have a chance of persuading the Kvaerner executives to keep the yard open.''
Lord Macdonald said last night: ''Obviously, I am disappinted by the news. I know that the shipyard management and workforce had high hopes of securing this order.
''The Scottish Office has been working closely with Kvaerner over the last couple of years to improve the competitiveness and productivity of the yard. Scottish Office Ministers have also been active in promoting the economic case for orders.''
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