Strike threat at Drax after energy giant accused of 'backtracking' on compulsory redundancies

Management at Drax have been accused of "bad faith" and backtracking on pledges over compulsory job losses.
Drax Power Station. Picture by Simon HulmeDrax Power Station. Picture by Simon Hulme
Drax Power Station. Picture by Simon Hulme

The Unite union claims there was an agreement there would be no compulsory redundancies among the 600-strong workforce over moves to replace coal-fired units at the North Yorkshire plant, when the pay deal was hammered out in 2019.

However this is disputed by Drax.

The union said its members were "furious" and had voted by 85 per cent to hold an industrial action ballot later this month, with the possibility of strikes later in the summer.

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Drax announced in February their decision to close the two coal-fired units at the Selby plant by March 2021, saying between 200 and 230 jobs could go.

Its other four units are biomass, using wood chip pellets.

Unite claims that the cost of a "natural wastage" scheme, which would replace workers as they left or retired would cost £25 million a year, and was "small beer" compared to the huge profits generated by the Selby site alone (£415 million in 2019/20).

Unite regional officer Shane Sweeting called on management to have a "serious rethink".

He said: “What we have here is a classic case of bad faith by the management as this highly profitable company pledged there would no compulsory redundancies when the pay deal was agreed in 2019.

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“They have now backtracked on this promise, despite the Selby staff working flat-out during the pandemic and being classed as key workers.

“Our highly skilled members are furious and voted by 85 per cent to proceed to an industrial action ballot later this month which could give the ‘green light’ for strike action towards the end of July."

Drax said on Monday that they had agreed a joint statement with the three unions expressing their committment to reducing the number of compulsory redundancies "throughout the process wherever possible". However they had not pledged there would be no compulsory redundancies.

A consultation began with Trades Unions and Employee Representatives on March 16.

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A Drax spokesperson said: “Stopping using coal is something Drax has been working on for well over a decade.

"The move away from coal is the right decision for the environment, our communities and our business.

"We have been talking to our employees and the unions for over two years about the impact coal closure will have on people, because we recognise this is going to be difficult for them and their families.

"We are consulting with trades unions and employee representatives on an enhanced redundancy package and support is being provided to those affected.

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“We gave our employees over a year’s notice – the job losses will take place in April 2021. This means we have time to support those affected to get the best outcomes for them.

“Earlier this year, we announced that we’re talking to the government, trades unions and other industrial businesses in the North about setting up a Zero Carbon Skills Taskforce to help develop the skills needed to enable people in the North to take advantage of future opportunities beyond coal as we transition to a greener economy after the Covid crisis.”

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