Drax workers vote to accept revised pay offer

Workers at the Drax power station in Yorkshire have voted to accept a revised pay offer after previously threatening to a hold a series of six 48-hour strikes.

The roughly 450 employees represented by the Unite, GMB and Prospect unions had turned down two earlier proposals and were planning to begin the first walkout on 14 July.

However, shortly beforehand the industrial action was called off to allow time for a vote on a third offer from Drax.

The ballot has now been completed, with 70 per cent of voters opting to accept the revised deal. As a result, they will receive pay rises of 2.8 per cent in 2019 and 3 per cent in 2020.

The agreement covers workers at all pay grades, including apprentices.

Unite regional officer Kelvin Mawer said: “Unite members at the Drax power station have voted by a large majority to accept a new two year pay deal which was hammered out after a tough set of negotiations.

“Planned industrial action has been suspended and our members are working normally. Unite looks forward to a continuing constructive relationship with the management on pay and employment issues going forward.”

GMB senior organiser Pete Davies added: “We are pleased to be able to say that our members, as always, backed their trade union and stuck together and in doing so secured a pay deal that works for them.

“Time may move on but in real terms nothing much else does when it comes to the way unions operate, if workers stick together then they prosper together.”

And a spokesperson for Drax said: “We are pleased to announce that a pay dispute at Drax power station has been resolved with members of the Unite, GMB and Prospect unions voting in favour of accepting an improved two year pay deal offered by Drax.”