A GROUP of engineering construction workers at Mossmorran have voted for strike action after rejecting a national pay deal.

Unite say the Altrad workers, who operate under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), have rejected a two year pay offer of 10 per cent for 2024 and five per cent for 2025.

They say the offer, from the employers who negotiate the NAECI agreement with unions, does not go far enough to restore years of falling wages for engineering construction workers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “NAECI workers have seen their pay fall further and further behind in real terms as a result of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

"Meanwhile, most NAECI employers have benefited from huge profits generated from rocketing energy and fuel prices. NAECI contractors and clients, including Altrad and Exxon Mobile, can fully afford to put forward a better offer. This is what must happen.”

READ MORE: Mossmorran contractors strike over cost of living payment

Unite say the workers carry out essential repair and maintenance at the site and strike action would cause significant disruption.

Strike action will be conducted in conjunction with other NAECI workers operating at oil refineries, power stations and pharmaceutical and petro-chemical plants across the UK.

Unite national officer Jason Poulter added: “There is a limited window of opportunity for NAECI contractors and clients to avoid widespread industrial unrest.

"They have the money to ensure that our members rates are restored to their previous value. Their latest offer was inadequate and was overwhelmingly rejected by our members. They need to get back into negotiations and work with us to find an acceptable offer.”

The strike action announcement comes after Kaefer maintenance and repair contractors based at the Mossmorran plant took strike action earlier this month.

Contractors, including scaffold inspectors and supervisors, riggers and rigging supervisors, forklift drivers, general assistants, and mechanical supervisors, walked out with picket lines at both Mossmorran and Braefoot Bay.

The industrial action also involves a continuous overtime ban for 12 weeks over the dispute which centres on the contractor Kaefer not making a cost-of-living payment for 2023.