LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - BP tanker drivers havebegun a three-day strike at Petroineos's Grangemouth refinery inScotland over a plan to transfer some of them to anotheremployer, which would affect their pensions and pay.
Some 42 members of trade union Unite are striking over AirBP's decision to award a contract to express delivery companyDHL to take over the transport of fuel to Scottishairports such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
The switch will entail the transfer of 15 BP employees on anaviation distribution contract to DHL in March, a BP spokesmansaid.
The strike began at 0400 GMT on Friday and will go on until0800 GMT on Monday, Unite said.
"Two thirds of the workforce affected stand to lose up to1,500 pounds ($2,300) a year on their salary because they'relosing a share-match scheme that BP introduced last year asopposed to a pay rise," a Unite spokesman said in an interviewby phone from the picket line.
He added that one third of the staff on the aviationcontract will lose up to 13,000 pounds a year per person fromtheir pensions.
"The dispute has been rumbling on since last year, when BPoffered the share-match scheme instead of a percentage payrise," he said.
BP said that contingency plans had been put in place to tryto minimise disruption to fuel deliveries.
"We've been sending deliveries using other drivers to ensurethere is continuity of supply to airports and retailforecourts," the BP spokesman said. "We believe stocks are at agood level."
BP (BP.)
