Dounreay nuclear power station workers in Highlands set to walk out in dispute over pay

Hundreds of workers at a nuclear power station in the Highlands are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute.

Unite the union confirmed that around 450 members employed by Magnox Limited based at Dounreay power station are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute.

The union say that the dispute is a result of an “inadequate” pay offer of 4.5%, effective from April 2023 which was rejected by 95% in a consultative pay ballot.

Unite said the offer amounts to a substantial real terms pay cut, adding that the true rate of inflation based on the RPI stood at 11.4%.

Unite’s Magnox membership includes craft technicians, general operators, chemical and electrical engineers, and maintenance fitters and safety advisors.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Dounreay workforce are highly-skilled and they undertake an extremely important job.

“The failure to pay our members a decent pay increase is outrageous, Magnox seems to have money to burn for directors and shareholders but thinks it is acceptable to deny its workers a decent pay increase.”

“Unite will fully support our members at Dounreay power station in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Magnox Ltd, currently trading as Nuclear Restoration Services, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

The Dounreay power station is scheduled to be fully decommissioned and cleaned-up in 2033.

The union said that the remuneration package of the highest paid Magnox director went up from £331,000 to £651,000 in March 2023, and the company paid dividends of £2.1m in the same period.

Marc Jackson, Unite industrial officer, added: “Pay negotiations with Magnox have been ongoing since January 2023 with next to no movement by the company. However, Magnox has not been slow in making sure the remuneration packages for directors have been bolstered with the highest paid director seeing their package double in the space of a year.

“Unite’s membership at Dounreay power station will no longer accept these double standards, and that’s why we are balloting our members for strike action.”

Magnox has been contacted for comment.