Union officials say deal would be real terms pay cut

More than 3,000 construction engineers are poised to strike after rejecting a pay offer. 

A majority of the workers (86%), who are largely stationed at oil refineries and nuclear facilities, rejected an offer of a 10% pay increase for 2024 and a further 5% for 2025. 

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Source: Shutterstock

Action could affect work at Stanlow, Fawley, Valero, Grangemouth and Mossmorran Oil Refineries, Sellafield Nuclear Facility and nuclear power stations

GMB will meet with union representatives today to discuss next steps after Friday鈥檚 ballot, with industrial action on the cards. 

The dispute concerns workers operating under the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) and centres on pay, which workers say has failed to keep pace with inflation. 

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB national officer, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not hugely surprising they haven鈥檛 accepted a pay deal that still amounts to a real terms pay cut.  

鈥淭hese are extremely skilled workers, who are considering mass legal industrial action for the first time in their careers because their employers have failed to keep their rates of pay in line with inflation.鈥�