Gas plant strike on if union ‘aspirations’ not met

A resolution to the ongoing dispute among workers at the new gas plant development in Sullom Voe could be reached this week.

But the friendly outcome will depend on an offer being made to union members which will spell the end of shared accommodation and offer travel allowances.

Union leaders say a strike will take place if their “aspirations” are not met.

It follows mass meetings on Friday between Unite and GMB shop stewards with hundreds of day and night shift construction workers at French oil giant Total’s new £800 million development.

The workers are employed by Petrofac, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, Bilfinger Industrial Services and Randridge.

A joint statement released by the two union bodies said:

“After some debate the workers agreed to reconvene [on] Wednesday 15th January to hear what the potential offer will be from the Shetland Gas Plant (SGP) management.

“If it does not meet the aspirations of the workers involved, regards the shared accommodation and travelling time, the workers unions will inform the Shetland Gas Plant management that production will be stopped on the construction of the new build Shetland Gas Plant due to strike action.”

It follows news last week that 94 per cent of workers affiliated to Unite who took part in a ballot – about 40 per cent of those eligible to vote – backed calls for industrial action. A similar percentage of GMB members also favoured taking a stand.