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| Support demo over foreign staff | Support demo over foreign staff |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A "peaceful protest" has taken place outside one of Wales' biggest power stations over the use of foreign workers at an oil refinery in England. | A "peaceful protest" has taken place outside one of Wales' biggest power stations over the use of foreign workers at an oil refinery in England. |
| About 50 people gathered outside Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan on Friday morning. | About 50 people gathered outside Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan on Friday morning. |
| It was in support of staff at Lindsey Oil Refinery, North Lincolnshire. | It was in support of staff at Lindsey Oil Refinery, North Lincolnshire. |
| Meanwhile, a number of workers at two LNG South Hook gas terminals in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, have also walked out in support. | |
| It is all connected with a protest by staff at the Lindsey refinery in north Lincolnshire over a £200m construction contract being given to an Italian firm. | It is all connected with a protest by staff at the Lindsey refinery in north Lincolnshire over a £200m construction contract being given to an Italian firm. |
| Industry contractors have also walked out at sites in northern England and Scotland in support over the escalating protest, which began on Wednesday with a walk-out by the Lindsey workers. | Industry contractors have also walked out at sites in northern England and Scotland in support over the escalating protest, which began on Wednesday with a walk-out by the Lindsey workers. |
| Workers at Aberthaw are calling for "British jobs for British people" Refinery strikes spread across UK | Workers at Aberthaw are calling for "British jobs for British people" Refinery strikes spread across UK |
| Unions said British staff should be doing the work at the oil refinery. | Unions said British staff should be doing the work at the oil refinery. |
| Total, owners of the Lindsey refinery at North Killingholme, said there would be "no direct redundancies" as a result. | Total, owners of the Lindsey refinery at North Killingholme, said there would be "no direct redundancies" as a result. |
| At Aberthaw, South Wales Police said officers were at the scene to monitor the protest. | At Aberthaw, South Wales Police said officers were at the scene to monitor the protest. |
| Mr Thomas, of the Unite unions, said the protest was not a "witch hunt" against foreign workers. | Mr Thomas, of the Unite unions, said the protest was not a "witch hunt" against foreign workers. |
| But he said there were concerns that future jobs in the industry would not go to British workers. | But he said there were concerns that future jobs in the industry would not go to British workers. |
| "What we're concerned about is [we are] in a recession, we're concerned that all the people that have been made redundant in the UK over these issues could be trained and put back into these particular vacancies," he said. | "What we're concerned about is [we are] in a recession, we're concerned that all the people that have been made redundant in the UK over these issues could be trained and put back into these particular vacancies," he said. |
| "There's plenty of unemployed construction workers and other workers who can be put in these vacancies." | "There's plenty of unemployed construction workers and other workers who can be put in these vacancies." |
| He added: "We're fighting for our particular jobs for UK construction workers and for the younger generation. | He added: "We're fighting for our particular jobs for UK construction workers and for the younger generation. |
| "All we are saying is British jobs for British people." | "All we are saying is British jobs for British people." |
| Around 50 workers held a demonstration at Aberthaw | Around 50 workers held a demonstration at Aberthaw |
| He said the demonstration was not an official strike and that the protestors were not stopping vehicles going in and out of Aberthaw. | He said the demonstration was not an official strike and that the protestors were not stopping vehicles going in and out of Aberthaw. |
| But some workers turning up at the site and joined them, he added. | But some workers turning up at the site and joined them, he added. |
| Alex Fisher, 52, who works as a plater at Aberthaw, said he was protesting to ensure his children could follow him into the industry. | Alex Fisher, 52, who works as a plater at Aberthaw, said he was protesting to ensure his children could follow him into the industry. |
| "There's no apprenticeships for them to do anything," he said. | "There's no apprenticeships for them to do anything," he said. |
| Speaking about a new fuel gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant, which is currently being built at Aberthaw to ensure the power station keeps running, he said: "There's been a smattering of apprenticeships but it could have carried a lot more. Surely you have to train the youth, that's how you cover your skills shortage." | Speaking about a new fuel gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant, which is currently being built at Aberthaw to ensure the power station keeps running, he said: "There's been a smattering of apprenticeships but it could have carried a lot more. Surely you have to train the youth, that's how you cover your skills shortage." |
| Andy Summers, 60, said: "We have all travelled all over the UK on contracts. I've been doing it for 45 years. All of a sudden we can't get the jobs because of the influx of European labour." | Andy Summers, 60, said: "We have all travelled all over the UK on contracts. I've been doing it for 45 years. All of a sudden we can't get the jobs because of the influx of European labour." |
| Public safety | Public safety |
| RWE npower, which runs the power station, said: "Around 50 contract workers, who work on either construction or maintenance projects, are peacefully demonstrating at the main entrance of Aberthaw Power Station. | RWE npower, which runs the power station, said: "Around 50 contract workers, who work on either construction or maintenance projects, are peacefully demonstrating at the main entrance of Aberthaw Power Station. |
| "Police are on site and have sectioned off an area for the demonstration. | "Police are on site and have sectioned off an area for the demonstration. |
| "No RWE npower staff are involved and Aberthaw Power Station continues to operate normally." | "No RWE npower staff are involved and Aberthaw Power Station continues to operate normally." |
| A South Wales Police spokeswoman said: "A number of protesters have gathered on the roadside outside Aberthaw power station officers are at the scene. | A South Wales Police spokeswoman said: "A number of protesters have gathered on the roadside outside Aberthaw power station officers are at the scene. |
| "Our first priority is the safety of the public and the protesters at the site. We are in communication with the protesters and are facilitating a lawful protest." | "Our first priority is the safety of the public and the protesters at the site. We are in communication with the protesters and are facilitating a lawful protest." |
| One-day protest | One-day protest |
| Workers at two LNG plants are also understood to be demonstrating in support of workers at Lindsay. | Workers at two LNG plants are also understood to be demonstrating in support of workers at Lindsay. |
| Brendon Stack, GMB steward, said workers walked out of the sites on Friday morning after a site meeting with stewards. | Brendon Stack, GMB steward, said workers walked out of the sites on Friday morning after a site meeting with stewards. |
| He said they had gone home in a one-day protest but will return on Sunday and Monday for their shifts as normal. | He said they had gone home in a one-day protest but will return on Sunday and Monday for their shifts as normal. |
| A spokesman for South Hook LNG said: "I confirm that a number of contractor workers at the South Hook site have left the site today in support of industrial action being taken elsewhere in the UK. | |
| "The majority of the workforce continues to work normally." | |
| Humberside Police said numbers of protesters at the Lindsey refinery demonstration on Thursday, which passed off peacefully, was near 800. | Humberside Police said numbers of protesters at the Lindsey refinery demonstration on Thursday, which passed off peacefully, was near 800. |
| Employees at BP's Dimlington gas terminal in East Yorkshire and its chemical manufacturing plant in Saltend, Hull, also walked out in support of the Lindsey refinery workers. | Employees at BP's Dimlington gas terminal in East Yorkshire and its chemical manufacturing plant in Saltend, Hull, also walked out in support of the Lindsey refinery workers. |
| Unofficial strike action was also taken by workers at Scottish Power's Longannet power station in Fife. | Unofficial strike action was also taken by workers at Scottish Power's Longannet power station in Fife. |