A 'crunch' meeting of union representatives is to be held on 14 August to discuss future industrial action at the Sellafield nuclear facility in Cumbria.

Over 1,200 construction workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal to facilitate a full-time union convenor on the site.

Members of Unite, working for a total of 14 sub-contractors, are in various stages of taking industrial action or being balloted for strike action to address growing health and safety concerns, along with poor welfare facilities on the construction site.

Staff from Balfour Beatty Engineering Construction Services; Cape Industrial Services; Jacobs Stobbarts and Mitie Facilities Services have been involved in some form of industrial action.


They will be joined by workers from a further five sub-contractors who have voted by an average of 82% for strike action, and by 87% for action short of striking.

The employees work for Focus Scaffolding; Hertel UK; Interservice Industrial Services; Meldrum Ltd and PPS Electrical.

In addition, ballots are being held at five other sub-contractors, Amec Foster Wheeler; Doosan Babcock; Hargreaves; Nuvia and PC Richardson & Co, opening today 12 August and closing on 26 August.

Unite Regional Secretary for the North West, Mick Whitley, said: "The campaign of industrial action is widening and shop stewards from the sub-contracting companies will be meeting at the site at 9am on Friday to hammer out a strategy to put pressure on the sub-contractors and Sellafield Ltd.

"Sellafield is an important nuclear facility where health and safety and the welfare of workers should be paramount. Our experience shows that a full-time union convenor would help ensure a healthier, more productive and profitable workplace.

"Before industrial action steps up a gear, we would urge the management to get around the table for constructive and meaningful talks. Unite is prepared to meet the management at any time and any place to resolve this escalating dispute."

(LM)