Strikes not ruled out if dispute continues

Unite, the UK’s leading union, that represents over 1,500 construction workers across 34 contractors at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria, today confirmed that its members would be enacting a work-to-rule policy after members voted strongly in favour of industrial action over the refusal to pay Sellafield-specific allowances.

The ballot returned a decisive mandate with well over 90 per cent support for strike and non-strike action. Unite members have given their employers a clear message: negotiate or face disruption.

The work to rule will begin on Saturday 23 August and is indefinite. The action is scheduled to maximise impact with work hampered and delayed across disciplines including electricians, joiners, pipe-fitters, riggers, welders, groundworkers and painters.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members are highly skilled and operate in an extremely challenging environment. Yet employers are refusing to pay rates they’re reasonably asking for.

“The money is there but it needs to find its way to our members to recognise their work and expertise.”

Employers at Sellafield have refused to pay Sellafield-specific allowances – including for nuclear professional status and or working in the demanding, hazardous environment in which members operate. Other nuclear projects such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C offer premiums that Sellafield employers have refused to match. Since the dispute began, employers have also been in engaged in union-busting activities including refusing release union reps for meetings, cancelling site meetings with the trade unions and deducting wages for reps attending meetings. 

With work-to-rule, work across vital clean-up programmes and infrastructure maintenance will face disruption—adding further delays to an already behind-schedule nuclear decommissioning programme. The Public Accounts Select Committee has previously warned of significant delays at Sellafield. 

Unite remains committed to resolving the dispute through talks. The union is calling on employers to return to discussions with a credible offer that:

Recognises the unique hazards and skill set required at Sellafield
Includes Sellafield-specific and nuclear professional allowances
Reflects cost of living pressures and stimulus to retain highly trained workers.
 
Unite Regional Officer Ryan Armstrong added: “This action will inevitably result in work at Sellafield being delayed – but employers forced our hand by refusing to agree to our reasonable demand to other similar sites. They need to focus not on union busting tactics but instead focus on coming up with a viable offer to avoid further escalation."