Union opposes Conoco P&O pension anomalies
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• by Guy Sheppard More than 120 Conoco oll tanker drivers will decide this weekend whether to take strike action after the company announced plans to contract out its fuel deliveries to P&O Trans European.
Danny Bryan of The Transport & General Workers Union has warned Conoco that the union opposes the move, which it condemns as unnecessary.
Under the terms of the deal the drivers would become R&D employees under the transfer of undertakings (TUPE) rules, which cover pay and hours—but not pensions. Conoco has one of the best pension schemes in the industry, and although it has promised to protect the current drivers' pension provisions, it is not willing to underwrite pensions for drivers who join P&O after the transfer.
"It appears that they are prepared to see new employees treated as 'second class' if these changes go ahead," says Bryan. "Such was the anger at a meeting last weekend among the drivers that we will ballot them next week. We are opposed to any change in our members' pay and conditions. If the company wants to save money we are determined it won't be at the expense of the drivers."
Conoco spokesman Matthew Lyons says the deal offered by P&O has yet to be finalised but it would be similar to the drivers' existing package and is much better than anything required by law. "We would like to continue discussions and hopefully resolve this matter as soon as possible," he adds.
As well as 118 drivers, five fitters are involved in the transfer.
Although the contract has yet to be signed, Conoco has told the T&G that P&O is its preferred choice to take over from the in-house team. Almost every driver is understood to have phoned in sick the day after the decision was announced.
By law any strike action must start within 28 days of the ballot, which will also include the option of less extreme industrial action.
M Conoco operates a network of 550 Jet garages and is one of the last oil companies to contract out its distribution. It has terminals in Immingham, Jarrow, Plymouth, Belfast and Kingsbury in Warwickshire.