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Conoco contractor Suckling Transport has defended its right to offer drivers different terms and conditions to other distributors for the oil company.

The haulier could face strike action as the TGWU is balloting around 50 key oil tanker drivers in their campaign for parity with other drivers who deliver Conoco fuels.

Suckling Transport managing director Peter Larner  defends the firm's position: "It's not unusual for suppliers to the same customer to offer their employees different terms and conditions of employment. Even the other group of drivers that our employees are seeking parity with has different rates of pay within it."

He stresses that the company suggested independent arbitration through ACAS.

"We value our employees and welcome the fact that the Electoral Reform Society is managing a secret ballot in order that we fully understand our employees' views. But it is far too early to speculate on the outcome of that process," says Larner, adding that there are no meetings planned with the TGWU to discuss the situation.

The union stresses that talks have been taking place for more than a year to thrash out a solution for the two-tier workforce. It says it even offered the olive branch of delivering parity over a two-year period but this had not proved successful.

"No one can accuse our members of rushing to the barricades on this issue because they have shown extreme patience," says Ron Webb, TGWU national secretary.

"But we are talking of differences in pay of around £2,000 with drivers delivering for the same firm on another contract. That requires some serious attention and if it takes a strike ballot to get it, so be it."

The ballot is expected to end this week. The operations covered include Grays and Coryton in Essex West London Westerleigh in south Gloucestershire Kingsbury in the West Midlands and Grangemouth in Scotland.