A strike by hundreds of tanker drivers working for Shell is continuing to disrupt the delivery of fuel to petrol stations across the UK.

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Shell said its contingency plans had so far worked well, but warned that the situation may change over the weekend.

The drivers have warned their employers they may strike again next weekend.

"Sales remain high but are not at extreme levels," Shell said in a statement on Friday.

"This situation may change during the course of the strike, but we are pleased that disruption to our customers has been kept to a minimum," the firm said.

Deliveries continuing

There have been reports of a number of tanker drivers working for other petrol retailers refusing to cross the picket lines at oil depots.

But the major retailers have told the BBC that their deliveries have so far been largely unaffected:

• Sainsbury's said its Friday morning deliveries had not been disrupted and confirmed it had a good supply of fuel.
• Texaco said it was "managing its logistics" to ensure a good supply. None of its forecourts had reported running out of fuel.
• BP reported that its deliveries left the depots as usual. It would continue to monitor the situation, the firm said.
• Esso said its terminals were open and drivers were collecting fuel. In the event of any "local difficulty" at picket lines, tankers were being brought in from other areas to make up the deficit.

Shell runs one in 10 of the country's fuel stations, but industry sources suggest its market share could be up to 17%.

The striking drivers work for two companies, Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, who are contracted to deliver fuel to those Shell forecourts.

The industrial action began when pay talks broke down earlier this week.

Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, say unions rejected a pay offer which would take the drivers' average salary to £41,500 by January 2009.

But a Unite union spokesman argued that the company's offer would have increased salaries from just under £32,000 to £36,000. He said the companies' £41,500 figure could only be reached if possible overtime was included.

The union representing them has renewed its calls for Shell, who outsourced tanker deliveries to external firms, to get involved in the negotiations to try and resolve the dispute.

(BBC)

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