Shell workers in Ince take strike action over pay dispute

WORKERS at the Shell UK research centre in Thornton have been on strike in dispute over pay and potential redundancies.

Maintenance staff claim their employer, Eurest Support Services, tried to back out of a pay deal that was agreed nearly two years ago.

Shell UK confirmed earlier this year that its research centre in Ince would close in 2014 with about 280 jobs being relocated to offices in Manchester and London.

But the 17 maintenance staff at Eurest are concerned Shell has already sold the site and want Eurest to delay any potential redundancies to give them the chance to be transferred across to the site’s new owners.

Shell sold the Stanlow oil refinery to Essar Energy last year but retained the neighbouring research centre.

Unite members began industrial action at 7am on Monday outside the Shell centre on Poole Lane, Ince, and Dave Thomas, who has worked as a maintenance fitter at the site for the past seven years, said it ‘went well’.

“This has been our first protest in 30 years and everyone attended,” he said.

“Basically we agreed a pay deal nearly two years ago that we have since been told had no authority.

“Nothing happened when it was supposed to, and there has just been a breakdown in talks.

“We are also very concerned that the site has new undisclosed owners, and if Eurest shed the incumbent workforce prematurely, this will deny workers their potential right to employment with the new owners.”

But there appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel as The Compass Group, who own Eurest, have now agreed to talks with the staff early in the new year.

“We are hopeful now because talking about the situation is always a good thing,” said Mr Thomas.

A Shell spokesman said: “The industrial action taking place at Shell Technology Centre, Thornton is by a small group of Eurest Services employees who provide mechanical and electrical maintenance to the site.

“Any dispute is a matter for their employer.”

A spokesman for Eurest Support Services said they were aware of the strike and were taking such matters ‘very seriously’.