Industrial
action at Sellafield nuclear plant will be stepped up after unions claimed the
management refused to meet with them.
Members
of the GMB and Amicus unions will walk out today, over claims that British
Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) failed to fulfil a promise to close the pay gap between
industrial workers and office workers by April 2004.
Staff
walked out last week after BNFL offered to begin the process of harmonisation
in April 2004, with the process not being completed until April 2009.
The
current shift pay for industrial workers is £6,750, while white collar staff
get £8,750.
Brian
Strutton, national officer for the GMB, said: "We had hoped that last
week’s action would have convinced BNFL to meet with us but our calls for
meetings have still been met with refusal.
"It’s
time for the company to honour their commitments to the workforce and bring
industrial shift pay in line with their white collar counterparts," he
said.
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The
union said the strikes will continue every Friday until 12 December if the
dispute remains unresolved.
