Fuel strike to mar royal wedding spirits?

LONDON - Around 3,000 tanker drivers in Britain are threatening to go on a strike that will coincide with the royal wedding and with the Easter holidays, according to industry sources.

And if the strike called by Unite goes ahead, it is likely to lead to petrol forecourts running dry within days, due in part to panic buying.

However, a Unite spokesman has said that there was no intention to disrupt the wedding.

“I can categorically say any strike will not coincide with the wedding. We are working hard to try to avoid a strike,” the Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

Talks between the Unite union, which represents about 3,000 drivers, and petrol delivery companies are due to take place on Friday in a dispute over working conditions and pensions.

Industry sources have suggested the negotiations have almost no chance of success because of the union demands and the number of private haulage companies involved in the dispute.

Unite, led by Len McCluskey, will then hold a series of meetings with shop stewards around the country - to take place next weekend - which will gauge grassroots support for a strike.

Any industrial action would take a further four to five weeks to organise, meaning strikes would be likely to begin in early to mid April. (ANI)