nuclear power

With 349 new nuclear reactors now either under construction, on order or in the early planning stages around the world, the uranium mining industry has been kicking into high gear with a glut of new extractions underway.

Wednesday’s action continued in a positive manner, at least in our eyes. Harrassment from British Energy on its own employees continued. Why they put up with it we are not entirely sure. We witnessed people noting fellow employees registration numbers, no doubt to gain favour with their own management. What kind of people do this?

Last week the SJIB had a board meeting and our dispute was top of the agenda, unfortunately there was no resolution proposed by the board. It seems the SJIB were more concerned that AMICUS had actually allowed us to go on strike even although we are legally entitled to do so. They did suggest that AMICUS should meet with Balfour Kilpatrick in an effort to resolve our dispute.

Our dispute continued today and we were shown a great deal of support from fellow Hunterston employees. Those employees had to endure long waits at the picket and still had the courtesy to stop and listen. We cannot stress enough how much we appreciate their support and understanding of our plight.

A worker's report of the first day of our sixth week in our dispute with BK.

Our dispute with BK continued today with no contact from our employers at all. It appears that under no circumstances are they prepared to reinstate our 50p/hr and ultimately resolve this dispute.

Hunterston B in Scotland, where libcom.org has been covering a strike by electricians, and Hinkley B in Somerset, are both being prepared for complete shutdown so they can be inspected. This may force British Energy to buy electricity on the open market in order to meet its supply commitments.

Our actions continued today, and we had a positive response from the Hunterston workforce. Many of whom are displeased with the interference of their own management in our dispute. British Energy have complained to police that we have been using our own vehicles in an attempt to hold up traffic, I think they’ll find that it is the support from their staff that is doing that.

1st day of the 5th week in our dispute with Balfour Kilpatrick.

Our dispute with BK has still not reached a resolution.

WE STAND UNITED AND STRONGER GOING INTO WEEK 5

2nd day of the 4th week in our dispute with Balfour Kilpatrick.

Again the resolve of the shop stood up to the rigours of standing all day on a picket line. We were in a jovial mood in not so jovial a situation, but we will remain strong and will see this through to the end.

WEEK 4 UPDATE FROM THE PICKET

The first day of the 4th week in our dispute with BK.

The foreign ministers held their annual coordination meeting on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The foreign ministers studied the problems facing Islamic states and called for solidarity of the Islamic nations to deal with the challenges.

Picket line again at roundabout on A78 (British Energy are not getting involved with our dispute yet again).

The interviewee is an electrician who has worked for BK for over 20 years.

Why do you think Balfour Kilpatrick is withdrawing the 50p/hour at this point after thirty years?
Two Reasons:

1. In order to maintain their own commercial level of profitability.

The 1st day of our 2nd week of industrial action took place today.

Our picket line was moved to the roundabout on the busy A78. This was under protest from ourselves, AMICUS the union, and the local police force against British Energy, who had threatened legal action against us for protesting on their land.

British Energy and British Nuclear Group, who've stated that they won't get involved in the dispute between Amicus and Balfour Kilpatrick, have warned all employees and contractors not to stop and talk to the official Amicus picket at Hunterston Nuclear Power station

Other developments:

> British Nuclear Group ban overtime for contractors who refused to cross the picket
> British Energy seeks an injunction to stop the planned strike action from being held on the public access road to the 2 power stations

The decision to take strike action came after management withdrew a 50p/hour bonus that had been in place for 30 years. There are around 40 employees, members of the Amicus union, involved in the strikes, which will occur every Tuesday and Wednesday indefinitely.

In early January, Russia restricted the supply of gas to its neighbour Ukraine. The Russian state gas company, Gazprom, suddenly increased the price of gas Ukraine was paying from the heavily subsidized rate of $50 per 1,000 cubic metres to the market rate of some $230 per 1,000 cubic metres . Not surprisingly, Ukraine refused to pay.

The whispering campaign around the push for nuclear power has been gaining momentum since last year. Until then Britain’s nuclear programme seemed to have been largely written off as the costly and dangerous failure it was. Nobody even knows how to safely decommission the power stations already built or store the radioactive waste already produced.