Unite, Britain's biggest union, will ballot its members for industrial action working at Centrica Storage Ltd, based in Hull, in a dispute over pay.

The dispute affects Unite members working onshore at the company's Easington gas terminal and members working on the company’s Rough Platform in the southern North Sea.

The members are seeking an RPI increase in pay whereas Centrica so far has offered either 3.25 per cent from 1 April 2011 or 3.9 per cent from 1 July 2011. In a previous consultative ballot, the membership unanimously rejected the 3.25 per cent offer. They believe the 3.9 per cent to be a repackaging of the same money but over a shorter period.


Unite Regional Officer, Mark Robinson, said: "Over many years, good and bad, we have always achieved pay rises at or just over the rate of inflation. Last year, Centrica made billions, it's completely reasonable to expect the company to offer a pay rise which maintains its employee's current standard of living."

In 2010 Centrica Storage made over £150 million whilst the Centrica Group made profits in excess of £2.2 billion.

Mark Robinson added: "In an attempt to reach a settlement we have even offered to defer part of our inflationary claim until next year but this has been rejected by Centrica. Our members work in highly hazardous and isolated environments, after accepting a below inflation increase last year, they expect Centrica to meet this reasonable claim."

(CD/GK)