Tanker driver ballot opens as Wincanton haulage refuses to
halt attacks on workers
19 December 2011
Unite, the country’s biggest union, is balloting more than 100
oil tanker members at the road haulage firm Wincanton over the
company's refusal to abandon punitive cuts to terms and
conditions.
The ballot opens on Thursday, 23 December and will close on
Wednesday 11 January 2012, embracing Wincanton
drivers working on the contract for oil giant,
ConocoPhillips, delivering fuel to Jet forecourts around the
UK.
Despite, Unite's repeated attempts to resolve the dispute,
Wincanton has refused to withdraw proposals to
introduce new contracts which will place the workforce on
substantially reduced terms and conditions, including a huge cut in
pay of around 20 per cent.
According to the union, the Wincanton dispute is
symptomatic of the wider problems in the petrol industry
which is becoming increasingly unstable as global
firms such as ConocoPhillips force down contract costs to the
detriment of the drivers who report increasingly stressful
working conditions in an already dangerous job.
Unite says the employers' consistent refusal to engage in
meaningful negotiations means that strike action is inevitable.
Matt Draper, Unite national officer said: “Our members have had
enough. Wincanton is holding a gun to their heads with the threat
of sign the new contracts or lose your job.
“We have negotiated in good faith but Wincanton is
bringing us closer and closer to causualisation of this
industry. In a sector which generates billions in
profit, it is shameful that the workforce is denied its
fair share. Further, the instability these attacks are causing
this sector is absolutely against the national interest.
"We now have no option but to ballot for industrial action
to protect the terms and conditions that have been negotiated over
many years. The union remains ready to talk to resolve this dispute
but will not stand by and let Wincanton bully our members."
A ‘Yes’ vote in the Wincanton ballot will bring operations to a
standstill at the depots of Immingham in South Humberside,
Kingsbury in Warwickshire and Stockton-on-Tees in the North East
and will stop delivery to ConocoPhillips' Jet petrol stations
across England.
ENDS
For further information please contact Chantal Chegrinec Unite
campaigns officer on 07774 146 777 or Matt Draper 07970 081
519
