UT strike averted at eleventh hour
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• Bulk tanker firm United Transport has averted strike action from more than 120 drivers after reaching an eleventh hour pay settlement with the Transport and General Workers Union. The long-running dispute between the Thame-based company and 122 drivers working on the Fina contract was finally resolved on Monday after three months of lengthy and difficult negotiations.
The settlement, a £650 lump sum per driver, covers the outstanding 1995 and 1996 pay claims, and has been accepted in return for calling off threatened strike action due to start this week. Last week United Transport wrote to all the drivers threatening them with the sack after 65% voted to strike in a secret ballot.
Negotiations originally broke down over management insistence on changing sick pay and other benefits. Paul Carvell, UT managing director, says: "Our drivers play a crucial role in the successful development of added value and we pride ourselves on an unblemished industrial relations record over many years."