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| Union offers to halt port strike | Union offers to halt port strike |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A union facing a possible High Court injunction over industrial action by a port's pilots and launch crews says it has offered to suspend the strike. | A union facing a possible High Court injunction over industrial action by a port's pilots and launch crews says it has offered to suspend the strike. |
| Unite balloted 50 staff at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, over a walkout on Thursday and Friday in a pensions row. | Unite balloted 50 staff at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, over a walkout on Thursday and Friday in a pensions row. |
| Managers at the port, which is Wales' largest, plan to challenge the legality of the action in the High Court later. | Managers at the port, which is Wales' largest, plan to challenge the legality of the action in the High Court later. |
| Allan Card of Unite said the union believed the notice served on the port authority was perfectly lawful. | Allan Card of Unite said the union believed the notice served on the port authority was perfectly lawful. |
| He said: "We've actually offered the port authority that we would suspend that action for up to 28 days to enable further discussions hopefully so that we can resolve this matter. | He said: "We've actually offered the port authority that we would suspend that action for up to 28 days to enable further discussions hopefully so that we can resolve this matter. |
| The authority is disappointed that industrial action is planned which could potentially damage the port's reputation, impact on customers and the wider needs of the country Ted Sangster, port authority chief executive | |
| "We've worked very hard over the last couple of weeks with the involvement of [independent conciliation service] Acas to try to resolve it, but we've made considerable progress but we're still not in a position where we can actually say that this matter is resolved." | "We've worked very hard over the last couple of weeks with the involvement of [independent conciliation service] Acas to try to resolve it, but we've made considerable progress but we're still not in a position where we can actually say that this matter is resolved." |
| Talks continue between the parties but the port authority said it believed there were "some inconsistencies" when Unite members were balloted. | Talks continue between the parties but the port authority said it believed there were "some inconsistencies" when Unite members were balloted. |
| Port authority chief executive Ted Sangster said the proposed strike meant a complete withdrawal of labour for the two days, but emergency cover would be provided. | Port authority chief executive Ted Sangster said the proposed strike meant a complete withdrawal of labour for the two days, but emergency cover would be provided. |
| He said meetings had been held over the past two weeks involving Acas. | He said meetings had been held over the past two weeks involving Acas. |
| In a statement, he said: "The authority is disappointed that industrial action is planned which could potentially damage the port's reputation, impact on customers and the wider needs of the country," he said in a statement. | In a statement, he said: "The authority is disappointed that industrial action is planned which could potentially damage the port's reputation, impact on customers and the wider needs of the country," he said in a statement. |
| Natural gas | Natural gas |
| But he added he was hopeful that a resolution could be reached. | But he added he was hopeful that a resolution could be reached. |
| The dispute concerns changes to the authority's pension scheme and provision of pension benefits. | The dispute concerns changes to the authority's pension scheme and provision of pension benefits. |
| "Like many organisations across the UK, the authority's defined benefit pension scheme faces a large and growing deficit that is unsustainable," said Mr Sangster. | "Like many organisations across the UK, the authority's defined benefit pension scheme faces a large and growing deficit that is unsustainable," said Mr Sangster. |
| "Having undertaken a long and detailed process of consultation with all its staff in 2009, the authority believes that the revised defined benefit scheme remains a good package." | "Having undertaken a long and detailed process of consultation with all its staff in 2009, the authority believes that the revised defined benefit scheme remains a good package." |
| Milford Haven is the UK's sixth largest port and home two terminals that supply natural gas to the UK network after it has been shipped from abroad. | Milford Haven is the UK's sixth largest port and home two terminals that supply natural gas to the UK network after it has been shipped from abroad. |
| Gas terminal | Gas terminal |
| It is compulsory for ships of a certain size to be guided in and out of the estuary by the port authority's pilots, who board the ships out at sea, aided by the launch crews. | It is compulsory for ships of a certain size to be guided in and out of the estuary by the port authority's pilots, who board the ships out at sea, aided by the launch crews. |
| Without them, no commercial ships can come in or out of port. | Without them, no commercial ships can come in or out of port. |
| Mr Sangster said at present shipping movements in the haven were unaffected. | Mr Sangster said at present shipping movements in the haven were unaffected. |
| He said if industrial action did occur, a number of shipping movements on the haven would not be affected, including the twice daily Irish Ferries service between Pembroke Port and Rosslare. | He said if industrial action did occur, a number of shipping movements on the haven would not be affected, including the twice daily Irish Ferries service between Pembroke Port and Rosslare. |
| One of the companies operating a gas terminal at the port said it was not expecting any tankers this week. | One of the companies operating a gas terminal at the port said it was not expecting any tankers this week. |
| The other said the dispute was a matter for the port authority. | The other said the dispute was a matter for the port authority. |