Britain set for fuel tanker strike
Filling stations in Britain face severe shortages from on Friday after last-ditch talks aimed at averting a four-day strike by tanker drivers broke down.
By Agencies |
LONDON: Filling stations in Britain face severe shortages from on Friday after last-ditch talks aimed at averting a four-day strike by tanker drivers broke down.
The failure of nine hours of talks Thursday means the drivers, who deliver fuel to around 1,000 Shell filling stations, are planning to go ahead with the walk-out from 0500 GMT on Friday.
Officials from the Unite union and managers from two companies which deliver fuel to the garages made renewed efforts to break the deadlock in the dispute over pay, following intense negotiations 24 hours earlier.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had appealed for both sides to make "all efforts" to find a solution, but he also said the government might revert to using the army to prevent pumps running dry.
Companies have promised to heed government advice not to panic buy fuel despite the threat of a strike, a survey showed.
A poll of over 1,000 firms by the British Chambers of Commerce showed four out of five were not stockpiling petrol or diesel.
Director-general David Frost said: "Hopefully these findings will quash any fears of panic buying at the pumps ahead of any industrial action by tanker drivers.
"Businesses are of course concerned about the impact of planned strike action but they are setting a sensible example."
The failure of nine hours of talks Thursday means the drivers, who deliver fuel to around 1,000 Shell filling stations, are planning to go ahead with the walk-out from 0500 GMT on Friday.
Officials from the Unite union and managers from two companies which deliver fuel to the garages made renewed efforts to break the deadlock in the dispute over pay, following intense negotiations 24 hours earlier.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had appealed for both sides to make "all efforts" to find a solution, but he also said the government might revert to using the army to prevent pumps running dry.
Companies have promised to heed government advice not to panic buy fuel despite the threat of a strike, a survey showed.
A poll of over 1,000 firms by the British Chambers of Commerce showed four out of five were not stockpiling petrol or diesel.
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Director-general David Frost said: "Hopefully these findings will quash any fears of panic buying at the pumps ahead of any industrial action by tanker drivers.
"Businesses are of course concerned about the impact of planned strike action but they are setting a sensible example."
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