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‘Fight for fairness goes on’ – Dounreay civilian guards accept pay offer that leaves them as lowest paid in country





Security guards at Dounreay have voted to accept a pay offer to end a long-running dispute – but warned that their fight for fair pay isn’t over.

The workers backed a 10.1 per cent deal from G4S backdated to April 2023 in a ballot announced on Wednesday.

Dounreay guard force workers claim they suffer a form of ‘postcode prejudice’. Picture: Dounreay / NDA
Dounreay guard force workers claim they suffer a form of ‘postcode prejudice’. Picture: Dounreay / NDA

Their union, GMB Scotland, said the agreement was welcome but meant the civilian guard force at Caithness remains the lowest paid security staff at any of Britain’s nuclear sites.

Alan Ritchie, GMB Scotland organiser, said contractor G4S and its client Nuclear Restoration Services, responsible for decommissioning nuclear sites, must ensure staff at Dounreay are paid the same as colleagues across Britain.

He said: “Our members are doing the same important work as other security staff at other nuclear sites. Their pay should not depend on their postcode.

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“This dispute should have been settled months ago and, while our members have accepted this offer, they will continue to seek pay parity with colleagues elsewhere in Britain.

“G4S and Nuclear Restoration Services must understand our members’ acceptance of this offer will not halt their fight for fairness.”

Guards at Dounreay accepted a 10.1 per cent pay increase. Picture: DGS
Guards at Dounreay accepted a 10.1 per cent pay increase. Picture: DGS

A worker from the force at Dounreay told the John O’Groat Journal that they suffer from a form of “postcode prejudice” due to low levels of pay – despite the pay offer being accepted.

Dounreay is a Category One site - one of two in the UK, the other being at Sellafield in Cumbria.

However, despite this, the security workers at Dounreay are paid the lowest wage in the country, according to the union.

Workers had been hoping for an improved pay offer after the dispute, which has lasted for more than 18 months.

The insider said: “Far too long the guard force at Dounreay has been under paid and under valued, mainly due to their northern location, a form of postcode prejudice.”

G4S has been contacted for comment.


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