1. 115 updates

77% blame Govt for petrol panic

77% of people surveyed for the ITV News Index has said the Government is responsible for causing unnecessary panic over the threatened strike by fuel tanker drivers.

Talks aimed at averting a strike will be held on Wednesday.

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42 percent believe tanker drivers should be banned from striking

A Shell petrol tanker depot Credit: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

47 percent of people surveyed in an ITV News/ComRes poll do not understand why fuel tanker drivers are threatening to strike.

However, the same proportion believes that the fuel tanker drivers are right to threaten to strike over their demands concerning safety standards.

42 percent of respondents agreed that fuel tanker drivers should be treated in the same way as essential services such as the Police or the Army and banned from going on strike. The same proportion disagreed.

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Unite: 'We believe tanker strike dispute can be resolved through talks'

Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey has welcomed the move towards resolution, after conciliatory service Acas announced they would hold talks on the tanker fuel strike, this Wednesday. Mr McCluskey said:

"We welcome this development and thank Acas for their efforts to pull both sides together. We believe these matters can be resolved through meaningful negotiations. But to give these talks a chance of success, there must be an immediate end to mischievous briefing against the drivers.

"These talks must be given the best chance of succeeding. The issues facing this industry are serious. It is beholden on all parties now to work constructively to solve them."

– Len McCluskey, General Secretary, Unite

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RMI Chairman: Independent petrol retailers have had their 'confidence shaken'

The Retail Motor Industry's Chairman, Brian Madderson has written in a letter to the Energy Secretary saying that petrol retailers have had their confidence "abruptly shaken", following the recent fuel crisis. Mr Madderson told Ed Davey:

Independent petrol retailers across the UK have had their confidence shaken by the Government's inability to manage the issue of a potential industrial dispute by Unite affiliated tanker drivers.

It is now very clear to the public and to the media that the Government created a crisis out of a concern, with some ill-conceived recommendations and complete lack of engagement with industry to prepare for possible strike action".

– Brian Madderson, Chairman RMI Petrol

Acas says talks will be 'flexible' to move towards a resolution

The conciliation service Acas has issued a statement confirming talks on the tanker fuel dispute will be held on Wednesday 4 April.

Their Chief Conciliator, Peter Harwood, said that the talks will be "flexible" to move towards a resolution.

The conciliation service has been in contact over the past few days with the Unite union and the seven distribution firms involved in the row.

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