‘Do not panic-buy’ motorists urged
Drivers are being urged to buy only the fuel they need as more than 600 tanker drivers begin a four-day strike.
The drivers, who work for two companies delivering fuel to Shell forecourts in the UK, walked out at 0600 BST.
Last-minute talks aimed at resolving the dispute ended without agreement when the Unite union rejected an improved pay offer.
Shell said it had contingency plans in place but admitted some of its 1,000 petrol stations might run out of fuel.
Unite said the improved pay offer from Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, who employ the drivers, was “not sufficient”.
The employers said their latest offer would take drivers’ average earnings to about £41,500, up from the current average salary of £36,500.
SHELL OIL TERMINALS WHERE THE PICKET LINES ARE TAKING PLACE
Stanlow, Cheshire
Avonmouth
Plymouth
Pembroke
Cardiff
Kingsbury
Basildon
Grangemouth
Aberdeen
Inverness
Jarrow
Luton Airport
“We extended our offer to the very limits that our business could sustain,” said Bernie Holloway from Hoyer UK.
‘Significant impact’
Union members have set up picket lines outside a number of Shell sites at oil terminals around the UK.
These include Stanlow in Cheshire, Avonmouth, Plymouth, Pembroke, Cardiff, Kingsbury, Basildon, Grangemouth, Aberdeen, Inverness, Jarrow and Luton Airport.
Unite said it expected the knock-on effect to be felt almost immediately.
Shell, which runs one in ten of the UK’s petrol stations acknowledged that the impact would be “significant”.
But the UK Petrol Industry Association (UKPIA), which represents oil refiners, maintained that stocks at forecourts across the UK were at normal levels and most garages would have around four days of supplies.
Len McCluskey from Unite on why talks broke down
There have been reports this week of higher-than-usual demand at petrol stations. UKPIA estimated that demand for fuel was 30% higher than average for the time of year.
But a spokesperson said this was something the industry could easily cope with and that motorists appeared to be behaving sensibly.
Sharing information
Business secretary John Hutton urged both sides to resume negotiations.
“The strike, which will have a disproportionate effect on people in Britain, cannot be justified,” he said.
“We have been working closely with industry to put in place detailed contingency plans to reduce as far as possible the disruption for the driving public.”
The government has allowed fuel companies to share information in order to get supplies of petrol and diesel to where they are needed during the strike, while remaining within the scope of competition law.
It also has the option of using a number of “emergency response tools” in the event of any fuel shortages. These include:
* Limiting the amount of fuel that retail customers are allowed to buy at any one time
* Prioritising the supply of fuel to ensure adequate supplies to the emergency services and other key services such as utility companies
* Encouraging motorists to use less fuel
A government spokesperson said, however, that these emergency powers had not been put in place.
“Our response will remain proportionate to the situation,” the spokesperson said.
Source: BBC