Posts Tagged ‘Strike’

By: MICHEAL KAUFMAN
Published: Feb 23, 2015 at 1:28 pm EST

Tensions between Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A) and the United Steelworkers (USW) union rise as more union workers have walked out of three additional US refineries. The latest negotiations between Shell and USW took place on February 20. However, no agreement between the two parties could be reached.

The USW workers on Friday midnight decided to impose a strike at the US Motiva Port Arthur refinery in Texas .On Saturday, the USW then decided to impose strikes in the Motiva Convent, Shell Chemicals Norco plants, and the Motiva Norco Refinery. Motiva Enterprises is a joint venture between Shell and Saudi Aramco. read more

Although details of the proposed settlement will not be presented formally to drivers until today, it is expected to include a big upfront payment, which could embarrass ministers who this week called for pay discipline to help hold down inflation.

The strike between Shell's tanker drivers has been settled bringing hopes of a swift end to the fuel drought faced by thousands of motorists over the past four days.

New talks to agree a pay deal for 641 drivers contracted to distribute fuel for Shell in the UK are to continue today.

Meanwhile, on the back of soaring oil prices, Shell is now making £1.3bn profit a month as its executives enthusiastically stuff their pockets on the back of it. Shell's chief executive was paid £4.5m last year as average boardroom salaries increased 16%. The drivers, on the other hand, have been offered 7% by the two Shell contractors, Hoyer and Suckling Transport.

Mr McCluskey said: “Shell’s failure to intervene in this dispute means that Shell’s drivers have no alternative other than to go ahead with strike action, beginning on Friday June 13th 2008. “This dispute could have been resolved if Shell had advanced a fraction of the billions of pounds in profit they make every month.”

Is Shell really “locked in talks?” I doubt it. Remember that they walked away from involvement in oil product distribution years ago when they sacked their drivers and “contracted out”.

The drivers involved in the dispute, employed by the haulage companies Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, are the sole suppliers to almost 1,000 Shell forecourts.

Unite repeated its call for Shell to get involved in the dispute. "It is no use Shell bosses, who have themselves enjoyed 15%-plus pay increases in the last year, sitting on their hands," said Unite's assistant general secretary, Len McCluskey.

With the rest of Europe facing widespread disruption from protesting hauliers, and with simmering discontent among British motorists at rising prices, negotiators were locked in an attempt to settle the dispute between 641 drivers and two sub-contactors for the oil firm Shell ahead of a planned four-day walkout, due to begin at 6am tomorrow.

Len McCluskey, assistant general secretary of Unite, said: "Only Shell sets the terms of this contract and only it can solve this dispute. This is one of the most profitable companies on earth and it now needs to provide the financial flexibility to avert this dispute."

Ministers have activated emergency procedures with the oil industry ahead of a threatened four-day strike by tanker drivers, amid fears that filling stations across Britain could start running out of fuel from this -weekend.

Around 500 tanker drivers, employed by hauliers Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport which are the sole suppliers to Shell, are threatening to strike for four days from this Friday over pay. They demanded a 13 per cent increase but were offered 6.5 per cent. Shell operates most of its 1,000 forecourts – 10 per cent of the UK total - in the south east, the north west, central Scotland and parts of the Midlands.

The emergency measures – activated discreetly last Friday in an attempt to reduce the risk of panic buying – would safeguard fuel for emergency services and provide for supplies to be moved around the country to areas of shortages.

Talks aimed at halting a strike by drivers who deliver fuel to Shell petrol stations have broken down.

Tanker drivers threatening a strike over pay which could halt petrol deliveries to Shell are due to meet employers on Thursday in a “make or break” meeting. “Shell would be far better placed if they were to stop stuffing their shareholders’ pockets and ensure their contractor Hoyer had the resources to conclude a deal that is acceptable to our members and will prevent disruption for the country.’’