Talks between a union representing U.K. fuel-tanker drivers threatening to strike and tanker companies have resumed Tuesday, a spokesman for the union said.

Members of Unite, the union representing the fuel tanker drivers, voted last month to take strike action if tankers companies didn't agree to requests about improved working conditions. A nation-wide strike by fuel-tanker drivers, which last occurred in 2000, could lead to gasoline shortages at filling stations across the U.K.

The strike would involve around 90% of drivers delivering fuel to U.K. gas stations for 11 oil companies and could affect the fuel retail operations of J. Sainsbury PLC (SBRY.LN), Tesco PLC (TSCO.LN), Asda Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), ExxonMobil's (XOM) Esso brand, and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA), the union has said.

Discussions by U.K. arbitration group Acas to resolve the dispute began Wednesday. According to U.K. law, Unite must strike by April 23, 28 days after the union voted to take industrial action. The union must also give seven days notice before taking strike action.

The distribution firms affected by the ballot are Wincanton PLC (WIN.LN), DHL, Hoyer Group, BP PLC (BP), J.W Suckling, Norbert Dentressangle, and Turners. J.W. Suckling is not attending the talks.

A spokeswoman for Wincanton PLC (WIN.LN) said Acas would release a statement later this afternoon with an update on the talks, but that it could not comment on the talks so far.

-By Jenny Gross, Dow Jones Newswires; 4420-7842-9239; jenny.gross@dowjones.com

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