Wood pellet factory workers to strike over pay

Workers at a factory manufacturing wood pellets as fuel for heating and generating electricity are to strike for 14 days over pay.

GMB Scotland has called on Balcas Energy in Invergordon to increase pay from £10.42 an hour to £13.

The union said workers should have got a pay rise in January, and its members had voted for industrial action after talks had stalled.

The strikes are due to start on 16 September. Balcas Energy said it was disappointed talks had not reached a successful conclusion.

The factory employs almost 50 people and produces 120,000 pellets annually, according to GMB Scotland.

Lesley-Anne MacAskill, the union’s organiser in the Highlands, said: "These are skilled and committed workers forced to rely on bonus payments to earn a living wage.

"The hourly rate is now well below the national living wage after being well above it when the plant opened 15 years ago with the real value of wages being eroded year after year."

Balcas said its management had "actively engaged" with employees and GMB since December, with a view to securing a successive pay deal for 2024-25.

The company said there had been a series of local level negotiations, and several meetings involving Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Services (Acas).

A spokesperson said: "We are disappointed to have not yet reached a successful conclusion.

"Balcas continues to openly engage with its employees and GMB."