Strike Ballot for UK Gas Terminal Workers

Unite the union has confirmed it will hold a ballot for industrial action at the St Fergus Gas plant. The dispute relates to safety concerns and attacks on the terms and conditions of Unite construction workers at the plant near Peterhead, which processes oil and gas from offshore installations in the North Sea, the union said July 1.

Construction workers employed by the Wood Group Industrial Service on the Shell-owned site voted by 98% in a consultative ballot to move ahead with an industrial action ballot. Wood Group is planning unilaterally to withdraw a long standing payment for permit holder workers who receive a daily payment to carry out safety duties.

This could lead to wages being cut by up to £103 ($130)/week for some workers. The dispute has now escalated to include wider safety concerns because each worker is no longer being given the choice to be a permit holder, and those existing holders are now being expected to take out permits without the historic payment, it said.