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| Talks due as fuel strike finishes | Talks due as fuel strike finishes |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Tanker drivers working for Shell have ended their strike, but another is planned for later this week if talks fail to settle the dispute over pay. | Tanker drivers working for Shell have ended their strike, but another is planned for later this week if talks fail to settle the dispute over pay. |
| The stoppage, which started on Friday, had led to hundreds of petrol stations across Britain running out of fuel. | The stoppage, which started on Friday, had led to hundreds of petrol stations across Britain running out of fuel. |
| Drivers have begun to return to work, raising hopes that the fuel shortages will now ease. | Drivers have begun to return to work, raising hopes that the fuel shortages will now ease. |
| The pay dispute involves 600 drivers working for two haulage firms contracted to Shell. | The pay dispute involves 600 drivers working for two haulage firms contracted to Shell. |
| Talks between the two sides are set to resume on Tuesday. Another four-day strike will start on Friday if no deal is reached in the pay dispute. | Talks between the two sides are set to resume on Tuesday. Another four-day strike will start on Friday if no deal is reached in the pay dispute. |
| Offer rejected | Offer rejected |
| The haulage companies - Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport - said unions had rejected a pay offer which would have taken the drivers' average salary to £41,500 by January 2009. | The haulage companies - Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport - said unions had rejected a pay offer which would have taken the drivers' average salary to £41,500 by January 2009. |
| However, the Unite union says that excluding overtime, the offer would have increased salaries from just under £32,000 to £36,000. | However, the Unite union says that excluding overtime, the offer would have increased salaries from just under £32,000 to £36,000. |
| There is still no sign of a resolution to the strike, despite another round of negotiations, which adjourned on Monday evening. | There is still no sign of a resolution to the strike, despite another round of negotiations, which adjourned on Monday evening. |
| It is understood that the two sides have edged closer, but there is still not enough common ground to secure a settlement. | It is understood that the two sides have edged closer, but there is still not enough common ground to secure a settlement. |
| If an agreement is not reached, there will be only a brief chance to replenish stocks before the next four-day strike starts on Friday. | If an agreement is not reached, there will be only a brief chance to replenish stocks before the next four-day strike starts on Friday. |
| Dry forecourts | Dry forecourts |
| One Exeter garage owner charged motorists £1.99 a litre for unleaded petrol and diesel | |
| More than 600 of the 8,700 petrol stations in the UK had run out of unleaded and diesel fuels on Monday. | More than 600 of the 8,700 petrol stations in the UK had run out of unleaded and diesel fuels on Monday. |
| Shell said about a fifth of its outlets had run dry. | Shell said about a fifth of its outlets had run dry. |
| The south-west of England, Cardiff and parts of London and the West Midlands have been particularly badly hit. | The south-west of England, Cardiff and parts of London and the West Midlands have been particularly badly hit. |
| On Monday, one Devon petrol station began charging £1.99 a litre - more than £9 a gallon - for unleaded and diesel. | On Monday, one Devon petrol station began charging £1.99 a litre - more than £9 a gallon - for unleaded and diesel. |
| However, after widespread criticism, the garage dropped its prices on Tuesday to £1.20 a litre for petrol and £1.36 for diesel, with a maximum £5 spend. | However, after widespread criticism, the garage dropped its prices on Tuesday to £1.20 a litre for petrol and £1.36 for diesel, with a maximum £5 spend. |
| "It got a bit extreme. I heard on the radio that we were more vilified than George Bush," a member of staff at the garage told BBC News. | "It got a bit extreme. I heard on the radio that we were more vilified than George Bush," a member of staff at the garage told BBC News. |