LONDON, June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite the union today urged oil giants Shell to stop sitting on its hands and act to avert the four day strike by tanker drivers set to begin this Friday, June 13th, 2008.

Unite assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said today (Tuesday): "Only Shell sets the terms of this contract and only it can solve this dispute. This is one of the most profitable companies on earth and it now needs to provide the financial flexibility to avert this dispute.

"It is no use Shell bosses, who have themselves enjoyed 15 per cent plus pay increases in the last year, sitting on their hands. They have 72 hours to start focusing on avoiding the disruption this will cause to the general public who are already mindful of the staggering profits Shell rakes in.

"Shell tanker drivers are earning exactly the same today as they were fifteen years ago while working for a company that makes GBP1.3 billion every month, profits our members' hard work helps deliver. So Unite is saying to Shell bosses, stop hiding behind your sub-contractor and help us sort out a solution.

"This dispute could be settled for less than GBP1 million, an amount that would not put even the slightest dent in Shell profits," Mr McCluskey said.

The union is holding talks with Shell's contractor at ACAS this week in a bid to reach a settlement.

Unite says that Shell tanker drivers today earn a basic wage of just under GBP32,000 per year for a 48-hour working week. In 1992, a typical tanker driver directly employed by Shell earned approximately GBP32,000 per year for a 37-hour week. Shell's board members typically received a 16 percent increase in their pay packets last year.

Tanker drivers employed on the Shell contract, and members of Unite, are set to take strike action from the first shift on Friday, June 13th, 2008 until the end of shift on Monday June 16th, 2008. The strike will hit fourteen terminals across the mainland UK.

For further information contact Unite press office, Pauline Doyle (+44-(0)7976-832-861) OR Ciaran Naidoo (+44-(0)7768-931315). Pauline Doyle, Head of Media & Campaigns, +44-(0)20-7420-8928