News / Gas plant walkout over as meetings agreed
WORKERS building Total’s £1 billion Shetland Gas Plant have returned to work shortly before 4pm on Wednesday following an unofficial walkout over travel allowances.
Representatives from the Unite and GMB unions will now meet managers from site contractor Petrofac next week for “onward discussions”.
The breakthrough follows hours of talks between shop stewards and site management during the day.
Around 900 workers downed tools on Wednesday morning after Petrofac declined to pay a £15 per day travel bonus to its Shetland-based workforce.
Earlier this year, and following the threat of strike action, the company had agreed to pay the extra cash to those workers having to travel by bus between the accommodation barges in Lerwick at the construction site, near Sella Ness.
It appears that Thursday discontent was not the first dispute over travel allowance for Shetland based workers.
A Unite spokesman confirmed on Thursday afternoon that discussions would continue to find a solution.
A Petrofac spokesman said: “We are pleased to have been able to resolve this issue.
“However we have made it very clear that unauthorised action like this is unacceptable; that in future, any issues should be addressed through the proper channels; and that workers will not be paid for the time spent away from work today.”
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