Harland & Wolff: THE POWER OF WORKERS!

At the end of July, the iconic Harland and Wolff Belfast shipyard was declared dead by politicians and 

management alike. The 123 workers and their unions (Unite and GMB) seized the initiative, seized hold 

of the yard, and demanded “Save Our Shipyard – Renationalise Now!”.

Their courageous, decisive action and clear-cut battle-cry has mustered the active support of workers 

all over Ireland, north and south, as well the UK, USA, South Africa, and across Europe. Daily solidarity 

visits, collections for the hardship fund, and solidarity rallies and marches, have given a glimpse of the 

latent power of a united working class determined and willing to take action.

Occupied - Renationalise Now!

When the politicians – particularly the DUP, who ‘represent’ the shipyard area of East Belfast – refused 

to take meaningful action to pound the minority regime of Boris Johnson into saving the yard, its jobs 

and skills, the workers declared they will stand trade union-backed candidates against them in a 

general election.

This determined stance and collective action has not only inspired thousands of trade unionists, but 

brought the local DUP politicians to heel, and won extensions (by the administrators) of the ‘unpaid 

temporary layoff’ period to 30 September, buying time to either achieve renationalisation or get a 

serious buyer, with every existing job guaranteed.

Four weeks after the yard’s obituaries were being written, five credible bids are now being 

negotiated. That’s the potential power of collective union action, which needs to be deployed 

far more generally.

Two Futures

This battle provides a glimpse of two stark choices for the future. 

One where the government is prepared to let the whole community, jobs and skills sink to the 

bottom of the Irish Sea, because, in Johnson’s words, “this is a commercial decision.” 

Or one where the collective strength and action of workers through their unions secures 

public ownership and a whole new green industrialisation, with quality jobs for the future.

The entire trade union movement – including those gathering at the TUC in Brighton, should 

pile in with solidarity until victory for the Harland and Wolff workers – and apply its lessons 

across the board.

Joe Passmore (on right), UNITE shop steward, with Paul Beattie (GMB)

I spoke to JOE PASSMORE, Unite shop steward in Harland & Wolff, about their heroic       showdown with those who would leave an industrial desert in Belfast and call it progress!

Richie: YOU'VE TAKEN ACTION TO STOP CLOSURE OF THE SHIPYARD. WHAT WOULD 

THE IMPACT OF CLOSURE HAVE BEEN, PERSONALLY OR GENERALLY?

Joe: “The impact would have been on the wider community. Yes, it was about our 123 jobs, but 

the number of jobs generated when we get a  contract goes into the hundreds, and a few years 

back we had 1,500 working here. A lot of them local people, living in Belfast, feeding into the local 

economy. 

It would have been a catastrophic loss, and also a lot of industries feed off us. In fact a lot of jobs 

have been lost in other companies since we went into administration.

But it’s not only about jobs, Harland and Wolff is iconic in Belfast. The idea that those giant cranes 

would become a monument to the past would be heart-breaking. And aside from the emotional part, 

an economic disaster.”

RV: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OCCUPY THE YARD?

Joe: “We occupied because this was a set-up. The more we learn, the more we think plans to close 

this place go back years, with key players including politicians and government departments.

They sold us a dream about refitting cruise liners and gave an exclusivity clause to the company 

promising this, MJM Marine, of Newry. Two weeks before they were meant to finalise the deal, 

MJM withdrew the bid, cut it from £9m to £2m, and didn't include the workforce in their plans!

Their plan was to bring people in from abroad, on slave wages, and then get rid of them. That's

 what this company has done elsewhere.

Pulling the plug was blatant profiteering at the expense of working people.

There was intense anger at this. The union held meetings at board level with the owners, and took 

over the running of the meetings! We called in the politicians. But we also set up our very own

 "Cobra Committee", a Council of War.

We made it plain we are not going to lie down. We planned to take control and that's exactly 

what we've done, blocking off all entrances bar one. And our motto is that we only let people 

in who have our future at heart; we will not accept the vultures.

Five or six companies are starting to finalise bids this week. Why were they never in the loop before?

They were excluded because of the agenda to close the shipyard. Now they are falling over themselves 

because of the stand we've taken and the publicity it's gained. We've scared off the vultures and scared 

the living hell out of the politicians.

The DUP has the ear of the government but wasn't prepared to do anything. We were butting heads 

with them. It's only very recently they've shown any willingness to help, because we had them on the 

ropes. 

We focused their minds by announcing we would oppose them in East Belfast in a general election, 

taking away workers' votes, which would lose the seat for the DUP.”

RV: YOUR CALL FOR RENATIONALISATION HAS BEEN DYNAMITE IN LIFTING THE 

SIGHTS OF WORKERS HERE. WHY DO YOU DEMAND THAT?

Joe: “Renationalisation is the easy way to solve this. We have plenty of work we could bring in right 

now.

Before they pulled the plug, BAe packages for submarines worth about £3m were lined up to come 

to us, with all the technical stuff sorted.

Even since going into administration, enquiries about use of our docks for ship-repair work, worth 

about £1m-£1.5m, have come in. So we could already have enough work to keep us going up to 

Christmas. But we couldn’t take the work because we don’t have an owner.

The government are aware of all this, and the work it could bring in, but seem reluctant to go near 

the word nationalisation. I don't care what they call it, but it's the obvious solution.

We need to force industrial leaders to recognise the advantages of long term planning and

investment in people over short-term financial gain. the consequence for continuing on the 

present trend will be catastrophic to British industry. 

Looking at Ferguson's in Scotland, even the DUP parliamentary leader has recently said there's no 

reason why if the devolved Scottish government can nationalise, that the UK national government 

can't do so.

Now it looks like we need to rely on the big hitters to buy us.”

RV: ANOTHER SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO MANY OF US IS YOUR CALL FOR RENEWABLE 

ENERGY PRODUCTION AT H&W. WHY?

Joe: “That has to be a big consideration. At least two of the five bidders are concentrating on 

renewable energy. The last ship we built was 2004, it's been mostly green energy production 

since. We have a history of it, and have all the prototypes. It's what we are capable of.”

Previous article in Scottish Socialist Voice 

RV: WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN MESSAGES TO TRADE UNIONISTS HERE?

Joe: “We have hit a nerve with our stance. We've found a way of fighting. We will not let anyone 

destroy our communities for short-term financial gain. 

My biggest wish of all is that other people, other workers, see something unfair, morally corrupt, 

and that they stand together, refuse to accept it. If we don't take charge, say we're not moving 

until these things are put right, the whole of industry will be destroyed.

My main message to other trade unionists: this is what you can do if you stand together.

We are 100% unionized, but it's not enough to get a membership, this is what the unions should 

be doing. Get over the defeat of the miners and other issues. We are stronger and smarter. We 

shouldn't underestimate what we can do. Several other disputes in Northern Ireland are drawing 

on this example, beginning to see the potential.”

………...

Send union donations to either Unite or GMB offices in Belfast - help sustain this very 

important struggle. 

Unite, 26-34 Antrim Rd, Belfast BT15 2AA

GMB, 1A Victoria Rd, Holywood  BT18 9BA