Govan Shipyard Union Leader Jamie Webster Retires

Legendary union leader Jamie Webster who led the campaign to save the Govan shipyard is retiring today.

We were so moved by this letter sent to Clyde News by his colleagues that we're publishing it below:

We are writing to bring to your attention the retirement on Friday 19th of December of our long serving and inspiring convenor Jamie Webster who has lef the Govan Shipyard workforce through many testing times over the last couple of decades.

Jamie has spent virtually his whole working life in the yard since a young boy in the 1960's and has been a trade union rep for more than 30 years. His passion for Clyde shipbuilding is legendary and it was principally his never say die spirit that led the workforce through the trauma of almost certain closure under Kvaerner in 1999. Determined, resilient, unifyinf and inspirational are just some of the credits that have been bestowed upon him and if every any person earned an MBE if was Jamie in 2004. His leadership in the most difficult of tmes was always exceptional yet he was not of a firebrand nature, more of a man prepared to stand up and fight for his industry and the workers in determined yet pragmatic fasion, a man of reason if ever there was one. One day amongst many depicts Jamie as a natural leader when on 10th July 1999 when Govan stood 2 days away from closure he addressed the workforce and told them to keep believing, echoing that "the show was not over until the fat lady sings. She is still in the dressing room, let's keep her there!" That very evening against all the odds we got a new owner and we are still building ships 15 years on. What an achievement! What a result for the total commitment and belief, two ordinary attributes steeped in Jamie's DNA. His contribution to Clyde shipbuilding and oridinary working people from local west of scotland communities was immense and we believe a mention publically is warranted. Yours sincerely Employees of Govan Shipyard