UNITE : Strike action by workers at Suttons Tankers in Cheshire in dispute over ‘inferior pay and conditions’ 10 January 2018

Unite members at Suttons Tankers Limited in Cheshire have voted 100 per cent for strike action on a 97 per cent turnout in a dispute over proposals to sack staff, unless they sign an inferior contract by Friday 19 January 2018.

The company plans to dismiss over 30 workers at Suttons Tankers Limited, including all tanker drivers and fitters, at the Bitumen Refinery and the Thomas Hardie Commercials garage facility in Ellesmere Port on Friday 19 January 2018 and re-engage them in February 2018 on inferior contracts of employment.

Unite is urging Suttons Tankers' management team to take these proposals off the table and enter meaningful negotiations to resolve this dispute and avert strike action.

Continuous strike action will commence at 00.01 on Friday 19 January 2018, and a picket will be in place at the Ellesmere Port Refinery and the garage at the Formula One facility on Bridge Road, Ellesmere Port.

Unite regional officer Colin Carr said: 'Suttons Tankers' management has attempted to smoke screen these proposals in both a sham consultation and under the guise of redundancies.
'Our members have been given an ultimatum; accept our proposals before Friday 19 January or face losing your job.
'Strike action is always a measure of last resort, but our members have had enough - they are determined to fight this attack on their terms and conditions - which slash our members' conditions and pay rates.
'Unite has remained committed to resolving this dispute, and we will continue to hold talks up to and beyond any strike action. We urge the management to take these proposals off the table and enter into meaningful talks in order to find a way forward and avert strike action next week.'
ENDS

Notes to editors:

For more information please contact Colin Carr on 07799 114 246 or Unite communications officer Karen Viquerat on 07768 931 316. Email: [e-mail]

• Unite is Britain and Ireland's largest trade union with over 1.4 million members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.