Dounreay dispute

Dounreay labour dispute escalates

A dispute at Dounreay has escalated after it emerged that 16 employees who worked their last shift have had redundancy payments withheld.

Supported by Unite, the members say they are entitled to be taken on the payroll of in-house contractors DSRL.

Unite'sl Lin Turner said the workers had become the unwitting victims of a dispute between the two companies.

The 16 worked on a clean-up contract within the site’s defunct prototype fast reactor plant (PFR).

The end of Nuvia’s contract at the plant yesterday coincided with the termination of 24/7 working at the plant.

The workers were put on notice at the start of November when four colleagues opted to take leaving terms.

The 16 have been backed by Nuvia in their fight to be taken on by DSRL as they claim the work they have been doing at the PFR is to continue.

They have, meanwhile, been informed that Nuvia is setting aside the payments to which they would have been entitled for being made redundant.

It is believed this totals more than £1million for the employees, most of whom have worked at Dounreay for more than 20 years.

Lin Turner said: “Unfortunately, the workers have been caught up in a unique position.

“They are caught in the middle of a dispute between two companies.