Nuclear workers to vote on strike action amid row over pensions
Nuclear workers in Ayrshire and Dumfrieshire are among thousands at sites across the UK set to be balloted for strikes in a row over pensions.
Nuclear workers in Ayrshire and Dumfrieshire are among thousands at sites across the UK set to be balloted for strikes in a row over pensions.
Around 16,000 members of several trade unions, mainly involved in decommissioning work, will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.
The unions are protesting at plans by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to make savings of £660 million.
The unions said the Government's expectation is that the final salary pension schemes in place across the NDA estate will be reformed by April 2018.
Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB, said:
Nuclear workers have played their part in keeping the country's lights on for decades. Senior representatives were unanimous that if this Government is determined to break its promises and is not prepared to negotiate, there is no alternative but to ballot members to take strike action.
GMB remains committed to resolving these issues amicably and available for meaningful talks should the Government want to pull back from this shocking episode of broken promises to workers in the nuclear industry.''
Unite national officer Kevin Coyne said a meeting of union officials today reflected the high level of anger'' felt by shop stewards from the sites.
They are dismayed that the retirement incomes of 16,000 nuclear industry workers are under serious threat because of the financial machinations of the Treasury.
This threat is made worse by the fact that the pension scheme is not in deficit - this is like rubbing salt into the wounds.
We were due to have a ministerial meeting on Wednesday but that was abruptly called off.
This demonstrates the continuing contempt of the Government for the nuclear industry and its highly skilled workforce and calls into question whether ministers are serious about resolving this issue.
The fact that the last meeting the unions had with ministers on pensions was 12 months ago speaks volumes. The silence is deafening.
We are now calling for an urgent meeting with the recently appointed energy minister Jesse Norman to discuss what we consider an unnecessary Treasury-led 'raid' which could see our members' pensions slashed by thousands.''