Tanker drivers defend strike action

Petrol tanker drivers from West Midlands today defended their actions as they took to the picket lines.

Strikers from the region assembled at 5am this morning outside the oil refinery at BP Kingsbury near Tamworth, which serves the region and is one of the largest of the 14 depots involved in the planned four-day action. Around 135 drivers or a third of the Shell driving workforce are based at Kingsbury. They are protesting after pay talks between unions and bosses broke down last night.

Father-of-two, Andy Croziel, aged 32, of Fordhouse, Wolverhampton, said: "We don't want to strike, it's expensive and a lot of drivers are making a 60-mile-round trip from across Staffordshire and Wolverhampton to make a stand.

"We're not doing it lightly, many of us have families to support. These days with the credit crunch we had to think hard about it. To lose two shifts' pay is going to make life difficult for the next couple of months.

"It's not boxes of food we're carrying but we're paid the same as Tesco drivers."

Garry Peck, aged 47, of Tamworth, joined Shell two years ago and has been driving lorries for 20 years.

He said for a decent wage had to work overtime but he wanted a better quality of life. He added that pay did not take into account the dangers, such as the terrorism threat, to tankers.

Dave Jones, aged 48, of Great Barr, has been a driver with Shell for 13 years and has 31 years' lorry driving experience. He said: "We are earning the same as lorry drivers from Asda or Tesco carrying beans but we are specialists in what we do. Most of us have 10 to 15 years' driving experience."

John Mears, shop steward health and safety rep, aged 47, of Burton upon Trent, has worked with Shell for 12 years.

He said: "All we want is a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. No-one wants to go on strike, we don't get paid for it at the end of the day. We're disappointed and angry in Shell."

Drivers on the pickets claim since 1992 their wages have not increased when they were paid £32,000 but their hours have increased from 37 to 45 hours a week and since the Buncefield oil depot fire in 2005 the distances they cover has increased by hundreds of miles a week.

They also claim their counterparts in other companies like BP are paid more.