Talks to avert strike by Sellafield firefighters

Planned strike action by firefighters at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria has been shelved pending further talks.

More than 60 members of the GMB union had voted for a series of 24-hour walkouts from the beginning of July in a row over pay grades.

But both sides in the dispute have now agreed to further talks on Thursday.

The union says its members have been carrying out work above their grades for which they have not been paid.

The Sellafield site employs more than 10,000 people and is in the process of being decommissioned.

Chris Jukes, GMB senior organiser, said: "The bottom line is management have made an offer which has already been rejected by our members and it will take an improved offer to settle this matter, which has been unresolved for several years.

"We have agreed to Sellafield's request for more time so management can reflect on their offer."

Sellafield Ltd, which operates the site, said it was "carefully considering" its position.

A spokesman added: "In the meantime the Sellafield site continues to operate safely and securely, as normal."