Talks under way to avert fuel strikes

TALKS aimed at resolving the fuel tanker drivers dispute and heading off the threat of strikes are under way.

Officials from the Unite union and seven distribution companies met in London yesterday under the chairmanship of the conciliation service Acas.

Briefings have been held with all the parties in the past few days, and Acas said “substantive conciliation talks” will take place at an undisclosed location.

The dispute over terms and conditions and health and safety has been brewing for more than a year, but flared up last week when Unite announced that workers in five of the firms had voted to strike.

The government advised motorists to top up with fuel, leading to chaotic scenes at filling stations across the country as people queued for petrol.