Bryan HayWorkers at Dounreay power station, employed by Nuclear Restoration Services Limited (NRS), are set to strike this week after more than 500 union members rejected the latest wage offer. The decision to resume strike action was confirmed by Unite the union, which represents the workforce.
The rejected offer included a one-off £500 payment and a basic pay rise of 4.5%, which Unite argues is insufficient given the current retail price index (RPI) inflation rate of 11.4%. The union has scheduled a 24-hour strike for Wednesday, 15 May, with an ongoing overtime ban starting the following day. Additional strike action is planned for 29 May, and further dates may be added.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, stated: “Unite’s growing membership at Dounreay power station have overwhelmingly rejected this revised pay offer because it still represents a significant real terms pay cut.”
Marc Jackson, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite has repeatedly told NRS that pay offers which amount to a significant pay cut just isn’t going to be tolerated. We have a growing membership at Dounreay, which is down to the hard work of our shop stewards and NRS need to realise, if they don’t already, that we are heading for prolonged industrial action.”
The union highlighted the stark contrast between the pay package of the highest-paid NRS director, which increased from £331,000 to £651,000 last March, and the conditions offered to its members.
