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Is the end of joint industrial pay bargaining in Scotland
Page 16
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a disaster? Views vary, as the old employment agreement breaks down. Guy Sheppard reports.
A UNION campaign to improve the status of oil tanker drivers has suffered a setback with the end of joint industrial pay bargaining in Scotland.
Drivers at Gleaner Oils, based in Elgin. and Regency Oils in Aberdeen have accepted a pay increase that falls 30pAiour short of the £9/ hour won by Shell Direct drivers who threatened industrial action in support of their claim.
All three companies subscribed to the Scottish Oil Trade Employers Council (SCOTEC) agree ment which was formed in the 1980s to establish pay parity in the sector.
The Transport & General Workers Union regarded a joint deal as part of its "4 Ps" campaign to improve the professionalism, pay, pensions and productivity of oil tanker drivers across the UK (CM 15 April).
Now the union fears it could be sidelined from pay talks and has written to members at Gleaner and Regency saying they can only get pay parity by sticking together. Tommy Campbell, T&G regional industrial organiser, describes the move towards local pay bargaining as a "recipe for disaster" which will come back to haunt both companies in future.
"It is disappointing that SCOTEC no longer exists," he adds. We were hoping to build on it and get more companies to join."
But Billy Laing,MD of Gleaner, is not surprised that SCOTEC has collapsed, saying mergers, takeovers and contracting out have changed the whole fabric of the industry since the council was established.
He denies his 30 drivers will be disadvantaged by local bargaining: "I'm sure the company's culture is such that we would always be very responsible when we talk to and do things for our staff" Regency Oils made no comment.
• Pay negotiations at Essex-based JW Suckling Transport arc being delayed so the T&G can seek legal advice about drivers' pension rights. The talks should have been concluded by January.