A 24-hour stoppage started this morning with a further round scheduled to start on Thursday morning.

There will then be further strikes next week and into February. Strike action took place between 27 November to 4 December last year in relation to the dispute.

The dispute centres on the contractor Kaefer not making a cost of living payment for 2023. The Unite union said its membership has been left with “no choice” but to resume strike action. The union has taken aim at the operator Shell for the impasse stating it is refusing to support any negotiated deal with Kaefer at the Mossmorran plant.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite members employed by Kaefer at the Mossmorran gas plant remain rock solid in their determination to get fair treatment. Shell, who ultimately fund any deal, has chosen to escalate this dispute by refusing to support a cost of living payment for our members. This is despite Shell raking in billions in profit.”

“Unite will back our Kaefer members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

The Kaefer contractors include scaffold inspectors and supervisors, riggers and rigging supervisors, forklift drivers, general assistants and mechanical supervisors.

The workers’ pay is linked to the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) pay award. NAECI workers secured a supplementary cost of living payment of an extra £1 for every hour worked between January and the end of June 2023. After that date, the supplementary payment became 75 pence an hour. The Mossmorran contractors to date have not received the supplementary cost of living payment.

Bob MacGregor, Unite industrial officer, added: “The Kaefer workers deserve a cost of living payment in the same way that other workers in the industry received last year.”

“To fund this payment Shell wouldn’t even notice a dot changing on their balance sheet, yet it would make a big difference to our members who continue to face a cost of living crisis. They have been left with no choice but to fight for fair and equal treatment.”