Dounreay workers vote on strike action after pay talks stall

Workers at Dounreay nuclear site are being balloted on industrial action after long-running pay talks stalled.

Members of GMB Scotland and other unions are voting on industrial action including working to rule, overtime bans and strikes after a pay offer was overwhelmingly rejected.

Discussions with management at the Caithness site have been continuing for 18 months and Keir Greenaway, GMB senior organiser in public services, said workers cannot be expected to wait any longer for a fair offer.

He said: “This delay would be unacceptable at any time but when our members have been enduring an unprecedented cost of living crisis, it is beyond the pale.

“Managers insist they are bound by civil service rules but have chosen not to seek exemption from those rules for their own reasons.

 “We have heard a lot of words but seen no action by management and words do not pay our members’ bills.

“They deserve to see a fair pay offer urgently and will take whatever action is necessary to secure one. Enough is enough.”

Dounreay joined Magnox Ltd last year and then became part of Nuclear Restoration Services, which is responsible for the clean-up of the Caithness site and 11 others across the UK.

A ballot on industrial action by GMB Scotland, Unite and Prospect members is now open and will continue for three weeks.