NUCLEAR plant bosses backed down yesterday over their attempt to stop staff pay during last week’s bad weather.

Negotiators from workers’ unions Unite, GMB and Prospect won the agreement following a sit-in at the Somerset site by about 600 Keir Bam workers angry at EDF chiefs’ refusal to pay wages when snow stopped work last week.

After being told to return to their lodgings last Thursday and not being able to work over the weekend, staff were told via text that they would not be paid for the Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

But now the workers have won a breakthrough — and the pay owed to them.

Unite regional officer Rob Miguel said: “These were difficult talks undertaken in a tense environment.

“Unite welcomes the constructive approach to industrial relations adopted by the client, EDF, during negotiations to reach a resolution.”

GMB senior convener Brendan Stack said the talks were “more challenging than first envisaged due to previous issues” but the workers were now “very confident … that these issues will be resolved.”