Aker employees to be balloted again

PLANNED industrial action at Shetland Gas Plant has been further postponed after talks between the Unite union, sub contractor Aker Solutions and conciliation service Acas.

 Unite is now preparing to ballot its members over a possible deal negotiated this week.

Unite’s regional officer John Boland said the new offer was not ideal but enough to take back to its 82 members working for Aker Solutions on the site.

The long running dispute is over wages and holiday pay.

Strike action, due to start this week, was postponed at the last minute when Acas was able to broker fresh talks between both sides.

Boland said: “Boland said: “We had two days of negotiations this week with Aker management and Acas. The outcome of this was a small improvement to Akers offer that we have agreed to consult our members on.

“The industrial action has been suspended for another week you allow this to happen.”

He added that should union members reject the revised pay offer, industrial action would commence on 4 December.

Aker Solutions has confirmed that they have received notification that industrial action planned for the 27 and 29 November has been postponed pending the ballot.