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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Judge to decide on port strike | Judge to decide on port strike |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Wales' largest port will find out later whether a legal challenge to prevent a strike involving about 50 workers has been successful. | |
| Milford Haven Port Authority launched a High Court action to try to stop a two-day strike by pilots and launch crew members on Thursday and Friday. | Milford Haven Port Authority launched a High Court action to try to stop a two-day strike by pilots and launch crew members on Thursday and Friday. |
| The High Court judge will deliver his judgement on Wednesday. | The High Court judge will deliver his judgement on Wednesday. |
| Talks between the port authority, the union Unite and the conciliation service Acas are still continuing. | Talks between the port authority, the union Unite and the conciliation service Acas are still continuing. |
| The threatened strike action is over changes to the staff pension scheme. | The threatened strike action is over changes to the staff pension scheme. |
| The port authority argues that it must make changes to its final salary pension scheme because of a huge deficit which it says is growing and unsustainable. | The port authority argues that it must make changes to its final salary pension scheme because of a huge deficit which it says is growing and unsustainable. |
| Commercial ships | Commercial ships |
| It says that the revised average earning scheme is still a good package, but the pilots and launch crews say they are not prepared to accept what they say are significant changes to their future pensions. | It says that the revised average earning scheme is still a good package, but the pilots and launch crews say they are not prepared to accept what they say are significant changes to their future pensions. |
| Two weeks of talks have already been held and the port authority said it was "disappointed" that industrial action which could potentially damage the port's reputation was planned. Contingency plans are in place to cope with any disruption. | Two weeks of talks have already been held and the port authority said it was "disappointed" that industrial action which could potentially damage the port's reputation was planned. Contingency plans are in place to cope with any disruption. |
| The port is hugely significant to the UK's energy sector with two oil refineries, two LNG terminals, and the UK's largest petroleum tank farm around the haven. | The port is hugely significant to the UK's energy sector with two oil refineries, two LNG terminals, and the UK's largest petroleum tank farm around the haven. |
| The staff at the centre of the dispute, the pilots, are responsible for bringing large commercial ships in and out of Milford Haven, and are highly-skilled and experienced at navigating the estuary. | The staff at the centre of the dispute, the pilots, are responsible for bringing large commercial ships in and out of Milford Haven, and are highly-skilled and experienced at navigating the estuary. |
| Without them and the launch crews, who help them get on and off the ships at sea, the port cannot offer a pilotage service to its customers. | Without them and the launch crews, who help them get on and off the ships at sea, the port cannot offer a pilotage service to its customers. |
| Allan Card of Unite said they believed the notice served on the port authority was perfectly lawful. | Allan Card of Unite said they 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. |
| "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." |
| The port authority's chief executive Ted Sangster said the threat of the strike had already led owners of one vessel destined for the port to divert it elsewhere, losing the port a revenue of £50,000. | The port authority's chief executive Ted Sangster said the threat of the strike had already led owners of one vessel destined for the port to divert it elsewhere, losing the port a revenue of £50,000. |
| He said the proposed strike meant a complete withdrawal of labour for the two days, but emergency cover would be provided. | He said the proposed strike meant a complete withdrawal of labour for the two days, but emergency cover would be provided. |
| 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. |