Allegations managing director of Scotland nuclear complex was 'shipped out' over long-running pay dispute

Bosses at a Scottish nuclear complex are being accused of “shipping out” the nuclear site’s managing director over a long-running pay dispute.

Mark Rouse has suddenly left Dounreay in Caithness to an unspecified role after making workers a pay offer to end a long-running dispute. His transfer was announced unexpectedly by Nuclear Restoration Sites three weeks ago after he had run the site for four years.

The role has now been given to John Grierson, who will become acting managing director for six months.

Sources at the nuclear site near Thurso told The Scotsman the departure of Mr Rouse came soon after he made a verbal pay offer to unions in an attempt to resolve an 18-month long dispute.

One source said: “The pay talks had been rolling on for months, more than a year, when at the end of March, Mark Rouse spoke to the unions about a potential settlement. On the face of it, it might have been the basis of a deal, but the unions never received written confirmation.

“Within weeks, Nuclear Restoration Sites told them it was off the table and replaced with an offer that was nowhere close. Mark Rouse was nowhere near the subsequent discussions and, weeks later, he was suddenly transferred to who knows where?

“The strong suggestion was that his pay offer had not been authorised by his bosses and, when they found out, he was shipped out. It seemed a very sudden and rushed departure a few weeks later.”

It is understood Mr Rouse had verbally offered to align the bonus scheme over two years so it was in line with other nuclear sites being decommissioned in England.

Sources also said Nuclear Restoration Sites told unions it would take at least three years to align the bonus scheme and that Mr Rouse had no authority to suggest otherwise.

It is unclear if his replacement Mr Grierson will be based in the Highlands full time, raising concerns about management at the nuclear site where workers suggest ongoing strikes and other industrial action is already undermining effective operations.

Mr Grierson started working at Dounreay on Wednesday during the second walkout by workers, but at the time of his appointment he only committed to being “regularly based at the site”.

GMB Scotland is one of the unions involved in the dispute at Dounreay.

Lesley-Anne MacAskill, the union’s organiser in the Highlands, said the managerial moves raised serious concerns, adding: “It is hard to think of a more sensitive and important industrial site than Dounreay yet, during this dispute, management has seemed to be either in paralysis or crisis.

“The handling of the pay negotiations and dispute has been abysmal, with abject failure by management to engage with the workforce and unions to find a way forward. They stuck their heads in the sand for months and when, finally, there was a hint of progress, the managing director suddenly departs.

“There are some very serious questions about how and why this dispute was allowed to escalate without any serious attempt by management to find a resolution. The need for those questions to be answered has only got more urgent after the sudden and unexplained departure of the managing director.”

Workers at Dounreay, which is being decommissioned, were on strike on Wednesday with a third walkout planned for June 19. Other industrial action, including an overtime ban and work to rule, is also underway after workers rejected a 4.5 per cent pay offer backdated to April 2023.

A spokeswoman for NRS Dounreay told The Scotsman that Mr Rouse has taken on a new leadership role supporting the UK government’s nuclear skills programme, and this was unrelated to the ongoing pay dispute between Nuclear Restoration Sites and the trade unions.

Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour’s energy spokeswoman, said: “Nuclear Restoration Sites workers deserve a transparent process for pay negotiations. The workers at Dounreay carry out a vitally important environmental service and that should be recognised. National Restoration Sites must get back round the negotiating table and deliver a fair deal for the workforce.”

Ariane Burgess, Scottish Green MSP for the Highlands and Islands, added: “It’s all too common for executives to see huge pay increases and for investors to get massive pay-outs while normal workers are expected to accept real-term pay cuts.

“It’s bad for the workers, and as the cost-of-living bites and inequality spirals, it’s bad for society. Trade unions are absolutely right to fight for better. NRS Dounreay must deal with the workers and the union in good faith to ensure a fair deal is reached.”