Sellafield cleaners, canteen and security staff strike again

Security, cleaning and catering staff at Sellafield are involved in the pay dispute

About 180 workers at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant have started a further ten-day strike over pay.

Security guards, catering staff and cleaners employed by outsourcing firm Mitie took industrial action earlier this month.

The Unite union said they had rejected a pay offer amounting to £8.21 an hour.

A Mitie spokesman said it could not negotiate with Unite because the GMB was "the only recognised union" on the Sellafield contract.

GMB members had accepted a pay offer, it said.

Sellafield Ltd said it was not directly involved in the dispute but was taking steps to mitigate the impact of any action at the Cumbrian plant.

Unite regional officer Ryan Armstrong has previously said the action was having a "huge effect" on Sellafield's operations, with the canteen "barely functioning" and buildings quickly becoming dirty.