Kaefer strike goes on
Around 90 Kaefer maintenance and repair contractors based at the Mossmorran Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) plant took further strike action in January and Febuary as part of an ongoing payment dispute.
The dispute centres on the contractor Kaefer not making a cost-of-living payment to workers for 2023. Unite says members have been left with ‘no choice’ but to resume strike action. Operator Shell refuses to support any negotiated deal with Kaefer at the plant.
The workers’ pay is linked to the NAECI pay award. NAECI workers secured a supplementary cost-of-living payment of an extra £1 for every hour worked between January and the end of June 2023. After that date, the supplementary payment became 75 pence an hour. The Mossmorran contractors to date have not received
the supplementary cost of living payment.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said, “Shell, who ultimately fund any deal, has chosen to escalate this dispute by refusing to support a cost-of-living payment for our members. This is despite Shell raking in billions in profit.”
Bob MacGregor, Unite industrial officer, added, “The Kaefer workers deserve a cost- of-living payment in the same way that other workers in the industry received last year.
“To fund this payment Shell wouldn’t even notice a dot changing on their balance sheet, yet it would make a big difference to our members who continue to face a cost of living crisis. They have been left with no choice but to fight for fair and equal treatment.”
Skills bridge ‘invaluable for reaching net zero’
The skills bridge created between Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C are invaluable for reaching Britain's net zero targets, Unite said in January. Unite’s comments come after EDF reported a time overrun and increase in costs. Unite national officer Jerry Swain said, “Hinkley has created a highly skilled nuclear construction workforce, who are invaluable to delivering the fleet of nuclear power stations required for the UK to reach its target of net zero.
“There’s now a skills bridge between Hinkley and Sizewell, thanks to the continuing efforts of Unite, the
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client and the contractors, that will lead to significant improvements in productivity.”
Unite national officer Jason Poulter added, “Lessons learned at Hinkley Point C should allow Sizewell C to be built on time and on budget. If we’re to fully realise the benefits of the expertise Hinkley’s workforce bring, including from the growing amount of apprentices, who already number 1,300, Sizewell must proceed as planned. This in turn will create more highly skilled, well-paid roles for British workers.”
Unite buildingWORKER Spring 2024
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