Sellafield bosses accused of no-strike 'bribe'
Last updated 12:57, Friday, 10 October 2008
Nuclear bosses have been accused of trying to “bribe” Sellafield staff not to strike by threatening to withhold a £1,500 loyalty payment.
British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) staff at other UK nuclear sites have received the cash when those businesses were sold to private sector.
It is assumed that Sellafield workers will receive the “goodbye bonus” when the business is transferred to private consortium Nuclear Management Partners (NMP) on November 24.
But a meeting of union leaders at the site yesterday heard that BNFL were threatening to withhold the payment from staff involved in ongoing industrial action.
Members of the GMB and Unite unions are currently involved in action short of a strike after rejecting a two per cent rise in basic pay.
Both unions have warned the action will be stepped up to involve a strike if management do not return to the table with a better offer.
Steve Gibbons, GMB organiser, said: “There has been no real progress. There has been no movement on the pay offer.
“But there has been a threat or a bribe, whatever you want to call it, that a loyalty bonus due to all BNFL staff at the site when the transfer happens will not be paid to our members if the action continues.
“We don’t think that’s legal and we are taking legal advice on it.”
A spokesman for Sellafield Ltd said it had not yet been decided whether loyalty bonuses would be paid at the site.The spokesman added: “The payments at other sites have been made on the back of a smooth transition. Whether you can have a smooth transition if strike action is going on is another question.
“Whether the payments are made is ultimately a question for BNFL.”
Staff who have settled on the pay offer will get four months of back pay in October salaries, along with payments from two separate bonus schemes of at least £600 each.
Management have extended to the deadline over the dispute to the end of the month.
