STRIKE action could disrupt progress on the aircraft carriers construction project at Rosyth Dockyard after workers rejected a pay offer by a massive margin.

The possibility of an industrial dispute comes at a time when the huge carriers contract is under threat from the Government’s defence spending review.

Work is already well under way at Rosyth on the first vessel, HMS Queen Elizabeth, but there is speculation that the second carrier could be delayed or axed altogether in the cost-cutting exercise.

Babcock’s offer of a 2.5 per cent wage increase to industrial workers at the yard was rejected by 460 votes to just 12.

The next step is a postal ballot for industrial action and with 97 per cent of workers against the deal, strike action is a real possibility.

It is understood the industrial workers want a lump sum to bring them into line with workers at the firm’s Clyde yards who they say received a payment of around £900.

Another factor in their discontent with the offer is a 4.9 per cent increase agreed for Rosyth’s non-industrial staff.

“It’s very disappointing that this is happening and it’s fair to say our members are hacked off about the offer, as can seen by the vote,” said Raymond Duguid, chair of the dockyard trade unions.

“If there is industrial action it will affect all the programmes going on at the yard.” A Babcock spokesman said, “The company has tabled an offer which has been refused.

"We will continue to talk to the trade unions and maintain the good relationship we have built up.” In recent years, industrial relations at Rosyth have been much better than in earlier eras.

The last clash between the unions and management was in 2007 and that was over pensions rather than pay.

Dunfermline and West Fife Labour MP Thomas Docherty said, “Rosyth Dockyard has an excellent reputation for delivering contracts on time and within budget.

“Hopefully this matter can be resolved soon. It’s an issue for the company and the workforce but if I can be of any assistance in helping to find a resolution I’d be pleased to help.” Labour MSP and former dockyard worker John Park said, “It’s important that talks continue between management and unions to find a settlement.

“The size of the vote shows the strength of the feeling of the Rosyth workers who rightly want parity between payments here and on the Clyde.

“Since privatisation the Rosyth workforce have often accepted below inflation increases and even a wage freeze.” Tough spending decisions are looming for the UK government with the strategic defence and security review results to be published in October.

The two carriers will be the Royal Navy’s biggest ever vessels and they will be assembled at Rosyth but even with the project well under way major doubts remain if it will be completed.

There are fears that the government will axe or delay the second carrier as part of the huge cuts planned in public spending.

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray spoke of his concerns about the carriers contract when he visited Rosyth on Thursday.

He said, “What I saw today was just so impressive.

"I’ve been to Rosyth on a number of occasions, talked about the carriers contract and how important they are, talked about the preparations to the dry dock and so to come today and see blocks of the carrier actually under construction and to be able to stand on the deck of the Queen Elizabeth is just remarkable.

“What strikes you is just what an engineering feat this is. To engineer a vessel of this size and the skills that are involved in that are an absolute credit to Fife and to Scotland.

“However, the down side of course is the anxiety around the defence review and the fact that the Tory-Lib Dem government have not committed to maintaining those two contracts.

“One of these carriers is well under construction and we need to see that job finished and we need to see the second carrier built as well.

“This uncertainty is not something that would have happened if Labour had won the last General Election.

“I feel for the workforce who have put so much effort into preparing for this contract.

"The scale of the engineering work is just tremendous. They’ve skilled themselves up to do all that then to have this anxiety created is unacceptable.

“But maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised because Conservative governments have let Rosyth down before and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen all over again.

“Labour in the Scottish parliament will do everything possible to argue the case for the carriers contract because they’re so important to Fife, the Clyde and the whole of Scotland.”