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Strike ballot of over 3,000 oil refinery and power station engineers enlarged as dispute grows

Thousands of engineering construction workers are ready to strike after they rejected aninadequatepay offer, with more set to be balloted, Unite, the UKs leading union, said today (Monday).

The workers, who operate under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), last week voted by 86 per cent to reject a two year pay offer of 10 per cent for 2024 and five per cent for 2025.

The offer, from the employers who negotiate the NAECI agreement with unions, does not go far enough to restore years of falling wages for engineering construction workers.

Since the pandemic, pay for engineering construction workers has fallen by 20 per cent in real terms. During Covid, a pay freeze was imposed on the workers even though they provided essential services throughout the crisis. In January 2022, they received a two year pay deal of 2.5 per cent for 2022 and the same percentage increase for 2023 even though inflation was soaring into double digits.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:NAECI workers have seen their pay fall further and further behind in real terms as a result of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Meanwhile, most NAECI employers have benefited from huge profits generated from rocketing energy and fuel prices. NAECI contractors and clients can fully afford to put forward a better offer and this is what must happen.

Unites NAECI members carry out essential repair and maintenance at oil refineries, power stations and pharmaceutical and petro-chemical plants.

Workers at Drax, Sellafield, Stanlow, Pembroke, Grangemouth, Teesside Sabic TIP and Runcorn Project Summer Vynova have already voted for strike action.

Due to the strength of feeling amongst NAECI members, Unite is also preparing to ballot even more workers at other sites across the country to join any industrial action.

Unite national officer Jason Poulter said:There is a limited window of opportunity for NAECI contractors and clients to avoid widespread industrial unrest.

They have the money to ensure that our members rates are restored to their previous value. Their latest offer was inadequate and was overwhelmingly rejected by our members. They need to get back into negotiations and work with us to find an acceptable offer.

ENDS

UK oil refineries, power stations, chemical and pharma sites facing major strike disruption

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on07849 090215or020 3371 2065.

Email:[emailprotected]

Twitter: @unitetheunion Facebook: unitetheunion1 Instagram: unitetheunion

Web:unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Irelands largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. Thegeneral secretary is Sharon Graham.

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Thousands of engineering construction workers ready to strike after ... - Unite the union