Power workers in strike ballots

Thousands of engineering construction workers at power stations across the UK are to be balloted over strike action in a long-running dispute.

The GMB and Unite said their members would vote in the next few weeks in a row over pay, conditions and the recruitment of foreign workers.

Contract staff at seven sites including Sellafield in Cumbria and Grangemouth in Scotland will be balloted.

The unrest began with strikes at the Lindsey oil refinery in January.

Strikes broke out across the UK in support of a mass walkout at the Lincolnshire refinery angry at the use of foreign workers.

'Boiling over'

Similar unofficial strikes took place at oil terminals and power stations when 647 workers were sacked at the Total-owned site last month.

The staff got their jobs back after a bitter dispute.

Union members to be balloted work at the BP and INEOS sites in Grangemouth; Sellafield; Shell at Stanlow; an RWE power station in Staythorpe; Chevron in Pembroke and Aberthaw in Wales.

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: "The anger and frustration felt by both workers and bona fida employers in the engineering construction industry at the misuse and exploitation of migrant labour has now been boiling over for many months as witnessed on several sites across the country.

"The objective of this dispute is to eliminate discrimination, unfair treatment and exploitation in this industry of workers wherever they come from."

The unions want a register of unemployed workers in the industry which the employers must use to fill vacancies; a transparent auditing system to monitor pay rates and other benefits and a pay rise.

They are also calling for 12 paid trips home for all workers regardless of where they come from, and the ability for union full-time officials to start grievance procedures at any site.

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