Workers at Drax Power Station in Yorkshire have started a nine day strike, with the union Unite warning power cuts could be possible as a result.
When fully operational, Drax generates around seven per cent of the electricity for the UK.
More than 180 members at Drax in Selby rejected an eight per cent pay increase with the Unite union saying the offer amounts to a real-terms cut due to the rate of inflation.
Unite Regional Officer Shane Sweeting told GB News: “The strike action at Drax will inevitably cause considerable strain on the national grid but this dispute is completely of the company’s own making.
Unite union members staged the walk out
GB News
“The final offer of pay doesn’t meet the mandate of the membership – it is a real term pay cut and sadly, we are where we are.
“There’s a lot of anticipation and worry – these guys [the workers] are scared and there hasn’t been a strike at Drax Power Station for 30 years.
“But we need to send a message when an employer is making hundreds of millions of pounds of profit and we’re asking for 0.2 percent of profit to resolve all these issues. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.
“It’s not a race to the bottom. We’re in a cost of living crisis and we’re in a power crisis and the people that are suffering at the hands of corporate companies that are making eye-watering amounts of money as a consequence, it can’t be right.
“The public are generally on our side and families are being hit by this and there’s a need for people to take action.”
Reuters reported last July that Drax had a rise in half-year profits. For the six months ending June 30, 2022, Drax's adjusted core profits were £225million - compared to £186million the year before.
Profits are thought to have risen for Drax last year because of the high cost of electricity. Unite said Drax's profits are estimated to have been more than £680m for 2022, an increase of more than 50 per cent from the previous year.
Workers blocked the road as part of the walk out and following today’s strike action, a further eight strikes are planned for February 27, March 6, 13, 20 and 27, and then April 4, 10 and 17.
The union has claimed there could be power-cuts as a result of the strike
GB News
The power plant has denied Unite's claims there is a threat to supply and says it has plans in place to prevent power cuts.
A Drax spokesperson said: “In the event of industrial action, Drax has robust plans in place to ensure the power station continues to safely generate renewable electricity for millions of homes and businesses. We have put forward a generous full and final pay settlement which rewards our valued colleagues with a significant pay rise worth 10 percent and a £2,000 lump sum.
“We are deeply disappointed that Unite is planning to go forward with this unnecessary action which will see colleagues lose money instead of securing a significant pay rise.
“Drax remains open to dialogue with Unite to avoid industrial action. There are three trade unions representing colleagues at Drax Power Station and this offer has been accepted by Prospect, while GMB has stated it will not be taking industrial action.”