1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198 
Oil hauliers refuse sector talks on pay
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
INDUSTRIALACTION by thousands of oil tanker drivers is looming after employers rejected demands for across-the-board improvements to their pay and pensions.
Transport and General Workers Union branch officials will meet on Monday (14 Febniary) to decide their next move. Ron Webb, T&G national secretary for road transport, says: "They were quite clear, determined and unanimous in their Opposition to sector bargaining. That has placed us in an impossible situation.
No recommendation will be made to the meeting,but given the current mood of militancy a ballot on industrial action must be on the cards.
The T&G has been campaigning for 18 months for final salary pensions and minimum rates of pay in the sector, claiming conditions have steadily worsened over the past 20 years as oil companies have contracted out their distribution. Huge corporate profits. including the record breaking ,E9.3bn recorded by Shell last week, have given the campaign added momentum.
The oil distribution companies seem wary of explaining their stance on this issue. A spokeswoman for Exel says: "Exel is working with all the stakeholders in the industry to ensure a swift resolution to the issues raised." Peter Lamer is MD of JW Suckling which is one of three contractors delivering for Shell. He says progress has been made in addressing the skills shortages, training and safety issues which also form part ol the T&G campaign. But he adds "Unfortunately, no progress was made on the other issue raised by the union."
The T&G represents aboul 3.500 oil tanker drivers. The United Road Transport Union which represents 350 drivers in the sector, also attended Iasi week's meeting and has sent a letter to its branch officials outlining the outcome.