Unite ballots tanker drivers at Wincanton over strike action

The Unite union is balloting 123 oil tanker driver members at Wincanton for strike action over what it alleges is the company's decision to place the workforce on "substantially reduced terms and conditions".

According to Unite, Wincanton has refused to withdraw plans to introduce new contracts for drivers on the Conoco Philips contract, including a 20% pay cut.

The ballot opens on 23 December and will close on 11 January.

A "Yes" vote to strike action will bring operations on the contract to a standstill at Immingham, South Humberside; Kingsbury, Warwickshire and Stockton-on-Tees and will halt deliveries by Wincanton drivers to Jet petrol stations across England.

Matt Draper, Unite national officer says: “Our members have had enough. Wincanton is holding a gun to their heads with the threat of sign the new contracts or lose your job.

“We have negotiated in good faith but Wincanton is bringing us closer and closer to causualisation of this industry. 

"We now have no option but to ballot for industrial action to protect the terms and conditions that have been negotiated over many years."

In response a Wincanton spokeswoman says the company is both "surprised and disappointed" about the ballot for action.

"Over the past four months we have been positively engaging with our employees on this contract in discussions relating to the changes in the fuel sector and what we need to do to help safeguard their employment on this contract moving forward.

"During these discussions we feel that we have got close to agreeing a route forward but it now seems that there is a disconnect between our employees' representatives locally and Unite at a national level. Unite’s proposed ballot for industrial action is completely contradictory to the discussions we have been having and we don't believe this action is in the best interest of its members."