SHIPYARD Cammell Laird’s threat to replace a quarter of its workforce with casual labour is “totally unacceptable” and will be resisted, the Unite union has pledged.

The Birkenhead-based company sparked anger on Friday when it announced that 178 of its 700 workers would be axed as part of a company “restructure.”

The union said it was not consulted about the move or the business case behind it and insisted that the existing furlough scheme should be used to cover a temporary downturn in work while the company seeks new orders.