A controversial �350m deal to transfer 1,750 workers at the home of the Trident nuclear submarine fleet to a private company has been signed.

Support services at the Faslane and Coulport bases on the Clyde will now be provided by Babcock Naval Services, a subsidiary of Babcock International Group.

The company will also manage a further 500 Royal Navy staff under the five-year deal.

Our members have stood solid for two years winning unprecedented guarantees for workers

Jack Dromey Union organiser

Unions say they are planning to meet the company to seek assurances over pay and conditions.

Last month the threat of strike action at the Clyde bases was averted when unions accepted a deal to protect their rights.

Under that agreement, which ruled out compulsory redundancies, Babcock said it would honour existing terms and conditions.

Both Babcock and the Ministry of Defence said they hoped to work closely with the unions to ensure a smooth transfer of staff.

Danny Carrigan, Scottish regional secretary for the engineering arm of the Amicus union, said it wanted to make sure Babcock lived up to its promises.

'Bloodied but unbowed'

"My view is that we are still adamant there should be no compulsory redundancies and there should be no changes to the terms and conditions of employment," he said.

"We will be sitting down with Babcock in the next few weeks to seek assurances from them."

Transport and General Workers' Union national organiser Jack Dromey said the mood at the Clyde bases was "bloodied but unbowed".

Some 4,000 people work at HM Naval Base Clyde

He said: "Our members have stood solid for two years winning unprecedented guarantees for workers.

"Good trade union organisation will now police those guarantees, defending living standards and ensuring job security."

Babcock already runs the Rosyth dockyard in Fife.

Under the agreement it will be responsible for engineering and logistical work, support staff and management at Faslane and Coulport.

The contract was signed on Thursday by Commodore John Borley, who will continue to run the Clyde naval base, and Babcock Naval Services' managing director John Howie.

High standard

"We are delighted that we have been able to secure this prestigious contract from the Ministry of Defence, and look forward to building a long term successful partnering relationship with the naval base," said Mr Howie.

Commodore Borley said: "I am confident that the partnering contract signed with Babcock Naval Services will enable the base not only to maintain, but also to improve the high standard of support that the Royal Navy has rightly come to expect from us."

He did not think there would be any need for compulsory redundancies, although he could not give any guarantees.

We are still adamant there should be no compulsory redundancies and there should be no changes to the terms and conditions of employment

Danny Carrigan Amicus

The civilian staff at Faslane and Coulport account for 2,845 of the 4,000 workforce.

HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane is home to the UK's nuclear submarines and the headquarters of the Royal Navy in Scotland.

The nearby base at Coulport is responsible for the storage, processing, maintenance and issue of the Trident weapon system and torpedoes.

Jobs at Portsmouth and Plymouth are also set to be transferred to the private sector as part of the initiative, which will affect a total of 3,000 staff across the UK.

The government estimates that the scheme will save the taxpayer more than �300m over five years.