18/06/2008

Tanker Drivers Win 14% Pay Deal

Fuel tanker drivers have been offered a 14% pay rise over two years, after their four-day strike.

The dispute affected around one in 10 of Britain's petrol stations at the weekend and raised fears that there could be petrol shortages.

Around 600 union members had set up picket lines outside a number of Shell sites including Cheshire, Plymouth and Luton Airport

The increase will be worth 9% in the first year and 5% in the second, taking the average salary to £41,750.

Union leaders and drivers had rejected earlier offers of a 7% raise.

Employers Hoyer and Suckling had said that their 7% pay offer had been extended to "the very limits" the business could sustain.

However, it had emerged that that bosses were getting a pay raise of between 15% and 28%.

Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton, said before the pay deal was announced that "there needs to be discipline in public and private sector pay if inflation is to be kept under control".

Mr Hutton also thanked the fuel industry for "working hard to minimise disruption".

Chancellor Alistair Darling said that the above-inflation pay deal was due to "particular problems" that were specific to the tanker dispute.

Unite has urged workers to accept the new offer.

Further industrial action by the drivers, delivering for fuel giant Shell, was due to take place at the weekend but has been called off.

Voting on the pay deal is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

It is believed that Shell has welcomed the news.

See: Oil Tanker Strike Fuels Shortage Fears

(DS)

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