Unite members at Sellafield to be balloted on strike action
Members of Unite at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria will vote in the coming weeks
Last updated 11th Jun 2025
About 1,500 construction workers are to be balloted for strikes in a long-running dispute over pay.
Members of Unite employed by 36 contractors at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action.
The workers include electricians, joiners, pipefitters, riggers, groundworkers, welders and painters.
Unite said the dispute involved demands for an allowance for construction workers on advanced technologies projects.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Sellafield employers seem intent on siphoning off the profits without paying our members a fair share.
"Our members are highly skilled and operate in an extremely challenging and hazardous environment.
"Despite this, construction employers are refusing to pay an allowance for our members' skills and dedication."
Unite regional officer Ryan Armstrong added: "There is still time to avoid strike action but the employers must return to the table with a viable offer."
A Sellafield spokesperson said:
“We are aware of a dispute involving contractors working at Sellafield employed under the NAECI and CIJC Working Rule Agreements.
“The affected individuals are not employees of Sellafield Ltd and we are therefore not directly involved in this dispute.
“As always, the safety and security of the Sellafield site, our workforce, and the local community will be our priority during any industrial action.”