A Cumbrian firm forced to temporarily lay off workers due to the industrial action at the Sellafield site said it had done everything it could for its staff.
It was confirmed by the Engineering Construction Industry Association.
Members of the Unite union – employed by private firms that have work at the site – began industrial action on September 15.
They are demanding special payments for working in an nuclear environment, which they claim other sites pay.
It named the six companies involved, but Cumbria Crack could not verify them.
We approached the firms and have received a response from William King Construction.
The Cleator Moor-based firm said it was required to temporarily lay off six members of staff.
It added: “It was due to the inability to access workfaces at Sellafield, as scaffolding required for the programme was unavailable during the ongoing industrial action.
“These employees all had at least 18 months of work ahead of them on our projects across the Sellafield site.
“We are pleased to have secured alternative work for all six across our wider portfolio of projects away from the Sellafield site until the end of January.
“As a small, family-run business employing local people, we have done everything within our power to minimise disruption, distress and loss for our workforce.”
The Engineering Construction Industry Association confirmed that the firms were working on projects affected by industrial action taken by Unite members at the site.
An association spokesman said: “Some of our member companies working on projects affected by Unite’s industrial action at Sellafield, have been compelled to temporarily lay off some of their employees, owing to a shortage of work.
“They are disappointed to have to take this decision. All reasonable steps have been taken to avoid this outcome.
“We sincerely hope these valued individuals can return to work soon.”
Sellafield Ltd, which runs the site, is not involved in the dispute. It is a pay dispute between individual employers on the site and their staff.
A Sellafield Ltd spokesman said: “We can confirm the affected employers have shared their plans with us. While regrettable, we understand the reasons behind them.”
He claimed scaffolders were getting full pay while out on strike but other trades were getting basic strike pay from the union’s funds. Unite said it did not comment on pay.
Cumbria Crack sent Unite all the member’s comments and asked it to respond, but it declined to answer specific questions.
Industrial action began on Monday for another week. Workers from five subcontractors – Altrad, Enigma, Kaefer, Stobbarts Limited and Design Grid – have walked out, the union said.
The industrial action is covered by conditions from Cumbria police under the Public Order Act.
Marches must not start before 7am and conclude by 10am.
Any marches from Calder Bridge to North Gate must start after the turn-off to Sella Park Hotel so that their business access can be maintained.
Previously, marches had been taking up to six hours as striking workers walked really slowly – dubbed the Sellafield shuffle.
Sellafield Ltd said in an update to all staff that there was no planned action for the week starting December 22.
It added: “Legally, Unite must give 14 days notice ahead of any planned industrial action, and that deadline has now passed for this period.“However, we cannot provide clarity at this stage on the weeks starting December 29 or January 5 2026, as the required pre-notice period for those dates has not yet expired.”
Previously, marches had been taking up to six hours as striking workers walked really slowly – dubbed the Sellafield shuffle.
Cumbria Crack has asked Unite about the progress in pay discussions.
In its statement, it said: “Unite has made clear, repeatedly and publicly, that we are willing to use ACAS at any point if the employers genuinely wish to resolve the dispute. That offer has been on the table from day one.”
It told us that it had offered ACAS talks twice, but claimed the offers had been ignored, although Cumbria Crack could not verify this claim.
Unite also declined to answer any of our questions asking about its future plans for industrial action, any offers made by employers, how many workers in total had been laid off and declined to expand on claims that local MPs had stayed silent, the Engineering Construction Industry Association had inserted itself into matters outside of its remit and if it felt its members were well supported by the community.
Companies involved in the dispute are Altrad Services; Amentum Clean Energy; Amentum Enterprise Asset Solutions; AVRS Systems; Balfour Beatty; Careys; DSD; Design Grid; Enigma; Erith; ES Steel Ltd; Flannery; Impwood; Kaefer; Keltbray; Kier; LEL Nuclear; Mammoet; Meldrum; Mitie FM Ltd; Mitie Ltd; Morgan Sindall; NG Bailey; NRL; Nuvia; PC Richardson; PPS Electrical; Rhodar; Shepley; Sir Robert McAlpine; VGC Group; William King; G&M Lawson Ltd; Athena; Stobbarts Ltd and FB Taylor (Cable Contractors) Ltd.
