Members of Unite the union at Sullom Voe Terminal, Shetland have voted for strike action by 94%.

This is in response to their employer EnQuest changing the terms and conditions of the workforce.

More than 97 % of Unite’s membership participated in the ballot with 99%  also supporting action short of a strike.

Unite held the ballot to coincide with the end of a lengthy internal dispute process involving the union and the company which has produced no agreement.

In July 2019, EnQuest announced that it would cut its workforce by a quarter. There were 250 workers based at the terminal at the time of the announcement.  EnQuest took over the terminal in December 2017 ending BP’s long association with the site.

John Boland, Unite regional industrial officer, said:

“Unite’s membership at Sullom Voe have taken an emphatic stand against the brutal proposals by Enquest to alter their terms and conditions including the pension scheme.

“The company has cut its workforce by a quarter heaping further pressure on the remaining workforce.

“We will announce a series of strike action dates imminently and the company should be in no doubt that our members will do everything to defend themselves and to oppose these unjustified attacks.”

Sullom Voe by Mat Tuck