Drax strike: Spectacular victory as contract workers walk out in support and block roundabout

Running Time: 6 mins 21 secs

Workers at Drax power station were celebrating a spectacular victory after just one day of strike action DOUBLED the original pay offer from the employers of 8% to 16%.

Contract workers refused to cross the picket line – and then took the road, causing chaos. This all added up to an £800,000 loss for Drax, already enough to settle the dispute – and with eight more Mondays of strikes scheduled to be followed by all-out strike, the company – who are making an eye-watering £700 MILLION in profits – obviously decided it would be best to cut their losses and settle.

Contract workers (scaffolders, thermal insulators, rope access and industrial cleaners) are also being balloted for strike action, having only been offered a 5% pay rise over three years – and are on little more than minimum wage, doing the dirtiest jobs on the site. It makes their show of solidarity  even more impressive. In April, the contract workers will be ready to strike too – and with 1,500 new contract workers due to be employed on decommissioning the remaining coal boilers, Drax would be sensible to offer them 16% too.