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GMB SELLAFIELD FIREFIGHTERS’ STRIKE BACK ON

GMB SELLAFIELD FIREFIGHTERS’ STRIKE BACK ON

GMB, the union for nuclear workers, has announced two 12-and-a-half hour strikes by firefighters at Sellafield will go ahead later this month in a dispute over pay after Sellafield management failed to keep promises made in July to settle the dispute.

The strikes will take place on Tuesday 17th October, between 6am and 6.30pm, and Thursday 19th October between 6am and 6.30pm.
Firefighters were due to strike on 24th July before the industrial action was averted by last ditch talks.

Further action was suspended to allow management time to implement a promised resolution which was to have been in place by the end of September at the latest.

Over the two month period since July, GMB and Sellafield management also discussed contingency safety provisions in the event of a serious incident taking place during the strike.

GMB members believe that the work managers said they needed to do on the promised resolution to the firefighters’ remuneration now looks to have been stalling tactics by senior management rather than serious negotiations.

Crews at Sellafield work in a fully–fledged firefighter role to keep the 10,000 plus workers on site safe, along with the surrounding communities.

They are ready to respond immediately to fires and other emergencies - including paramedic work - which is vital given the potentially hazardous nature of work on the Sellafield site.
Chris Jukes, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “Sellafield Limited management made what GMB believed was an offer in good faith a couple of months ago to resolve this dispute, which dates back years, by introducing a warm zone allowance by the end of September.

"Management have broken their promises with the latest offer at the end of last week.

"GMB’s firefighters have remained professional throughout this process, which started in 2012 undertaking all the relevant training courses required, many done on their rest days.
"We live in very uncertain times and the firefighters’ priority is to protect the community and the public at large.

“GMB members recognise, along with their families, that work on a Civil Nuclear Decommissioning Plant - with the accompanying risks from high levels of radioactive waste - means they should be appropriately rewarded.”

www.gmb.org.uk

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