Sellafield maintenance workers to strike over pay

The pay row involves workers who are employed by firm Altrad Services at the Fellside site at Sellafield

A group of access and maintenance workers at the Sellafield nuclear site are to strike in a row over pay.

The Unite union said about a dozen staff, who are employed by firm Altrad Services and work on the Fellside site, would take part in industrial action from 10-15, 17-22 and 24-29 October.

Unite said Altrad Services had reneged on an agreed pay rise of a 11.3% by paying 7.3%.

The BBC has approached Altrad Services for comment.

The Unite members are responsible for access and maintenance of the Fellside site, which produces steam for the wider Sellafield site next door.

"This broken promise and backtracking has caused outrage among staff who have been left with little choice but to take industrial action," Unite said.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Altrad is behaving appallingly by breaking promises and agreed pay deals with workers."

A spokesman for Sellafield Ltd said, while the dispute did not involve its employees, "as with any industrial action affecting the Sellafield site, our priority will be to maintain safety and security".