Construction workers from nine sub-contracting companies at the Sellafield nuclear plant are to stage a wave of industrial action over a health and safety dispute.

Workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal by Sellafield and the sub-contractor team to facilitate a full-time union convenor on the site.

Members of union Unite, working for Balfour Beatty Engineering Construction Services; Cape Industrial Services; Focus Scaffolding; Hertel UK; Interservice Industrial Services; Jacobs Stobbarts; Meldrum Ltd; Mitie Facilities Services (also known as OneFM) and PPS Electrical will be imposing an overtime ban and working to rule from 27 August.

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Workers at all the companies, except for Balfour Beatty will be striking between 5:30am and 8am on 1, 9 and 16 September followed by a 24-hour stoppage starting after midnight on 23 September.

Unite regional secretary for the north west Mick Whitley said: "The bully boy tactics by the sub-contractors are still continuing as our members raise legitimate concerns about health and safety.

"The shop stewards have agreed a future programme of industrial action in response to the intransigence of the various employers.

"Unite has repeatedly called for meaningful talks, but they have been rebuffed at every stage, and our members have no alternative but to take industrial action, including a day's strike on 23 September."

Ballots are also being held at four other sub-contractors: Amec Foster Wheeler; Doosan Babcock; Hargreaves; and PC Richardson & Co for industrial action on the health and safety issues.

The ballots close on 26 August.

(LM)