Gas plant unions warn of industrial action
ENERGY giant Total’s £800 million gas plant in Shetland is being threatened by industrial action over a simmering dispute about accommodation.
Union leaders from Unite and GMB met with management from Petrofac, the company responsible for building the plant, on Thursday, but failed to resolve the issue.
Unite regional industrial organiser John Taylor said the men and women building the plant have been complaining for the past eight months about having to share two man cabins at an 850 bed accommodation block near the plant at Sella Ness.
On Tuesday the issue boiled over when 150 Petrofac employees were ordered off site after they refused to work more than their contracted 38 hours a week.
They returned two hours later and agreed to continue working seven days a week for three weeks at a time, after union negotiators stepped in.
Taylor said workers were finding it hard to get a good night’s sleep because of the cramped conditions, and some were opting to sleep in chairs or outside on the floor.
He said they were looking for one man cabins or compensation for having to share, as well as a travelling allowance.
He added that the dispute now involved up to 700 of the 800 strong workforce on site, which is due to expand to 1,400 in August as Petrofac race to complete the plant by next year. Most of the workers are employed by sub contractors.
Another meeting has been arranged in two weeks, with the unions warning that unless there is a resolution they will be considering balloting members on industrial next month.
“We don’t want a dispute, our members don’t want a dispute, but until there is some movement from Petrofac on this issue we are heading down this road,” Taylor said.
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Meanwhile Petrofac are bringing a new flotel into Lerwick harbour to alleviate the accommodation problem, though the Kalmar barge will only contain around 225 bedrooms.
Insisting the two sides are still in dialogue, a spokesman said: “Petrofac remains very keen that everyone involved in building the Shetland gas plant continues to work together effectively.
“We are committed to running a successful project whilst ensuring that suitable accommodation is available for our workforce and doesn’t place undue strain on the local infrastructure.”
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