WORKERS at a Ministry of Defence depot in Scotland that supplies missiles to Ukraine are on strike for the first time in their history.

GMB members voted by 93 per cent to down tools at the Defence Equipment and Support (DES) depot at Beith in North Ayrshire in a dispute over bonuses.

The union said DES had created a two-tier workforce because managers and craft workers are paid bonuses but non-craft workers are not.

DES is part of the Ministry of Defence and delivers equipment and support services to the UK armed forces. 

GMB said the strike by more than 50 staff could affect delivery of supplies of missile parts to the military.

GMB Scotland organiser Chris Kennedy said: “These workers are utterly vital to the UK armed forces — they deserve to be recognised as such.

“Instead, management have allowed a two-tier workforce to develop, fostering bitterness and anger among workers. 

“If the Defence Secretary does not step in to right this wrong, supplies of the crucial missiles manufactured at Beith will soon run low.” 

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “Pre-planned contingency measures are being implemented at Defence Munitions Beith to ensure the continued operation of the site.”

He said the MoD remained available for talks.

A source confirmed to the Morning Star that the Beith factory is involved in providing missiles supplied to Ukraine.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and the defence ministries of Denmark, the Netherlands and the US announced an agreement in June to supply hundreds of medium- and short-range missiles to Ukraine.