Calor drivers in pay dispute
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by Elizabeth Daly • More than 300 drivers, plant operators and distribution workers at Calor Gas are being balloted on strike action this week to stop the company tearing up a union pay agreement.
The company has interviewed each member of the affected staff and received a negative response to its plan to introduce personal contracts. But it is pushing ahead nonetheless. It has sent out a letter offering staff an extra week's wages if they sign the new contract before 12 September.
But if they have not signed it by 19 September, staff will not have a contract with the company. The Transport & General Workers Union says workers who do not sign are effectively being sacked. Calor argues that staff have a choice on whether they sign and therefore say staff who do not would resign.
Other changes contained in the personal agreements are a decrease in holiday pay and an increased obligation for seven-day working. However, Calor argues that the increase in basic pay more than makes up for this, and that other benefits such as the pension scheme are "second-tonone in the industry".
The other 1,200 clerical and administrative staff employed by Calor are already on personal contracts. John Harris, operations and human resources director says: "We want to be a single status company with the same pension and other benefits from top to bottom."
If the staff refuse en masse to sign the new contracts, talks will continue, says Calor.