Drax canteen workers strike in London

Canteen workers at a North Yorkshire power station have gone on strike in London today in an ongoing row over pay.

Unite members at Drax, near Selby, who work for the company BaxterStorey, said they were seeking a pay rise of 50p an hour to "get off the breadline."

The workers have been taking strike action since December.

They protested outside the power station’s annual general meeting.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The behaviour of both BaxterStorey and Drax towards these workers is shameful.

She added: "Either of these hugely wealthy companies could end this dispute tomorrow. Instead, out of sheer greed, they are passing the buck to each other and refusing to put forward a fair offer."

A Drax spokesperson said: “This dispute is between Baxter Storey and its contractors, with no Drax employees involved in the strike.

“The power station and its catering facilities continued to operate during the industrial action, but we hope a resolution is found soon.”

A spokesperson from BaxterStorey said: We have taken various steps to address the concerns raised by Unite and have offered solutions in our attempt to resolve the dispute.

"We continue to have open discussions with Unite and our team members and these are ongoing. ACAS is supporting both sides through the process."

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