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Deal hope in foreign workers row Deal hope in foreign workers row
(about 1 hour later)
A possible deal to end the row over the use of foreign labour at Lincolnshire's Lindsey Oil Refinery will be put to local union leaders and workers later.A possible deal to end the row over the use of foreign labour at Lincolnshire's Lindsey Oil Refinery will be put to local union leaders and workers later.
The proposal emerged after talks chaired by Acas.The proposal emerged after talks chaired by Acas.
A GMB union source told the BBC the deal could see half of the disputed 200 jobs offered to British workers, but the Unite leader has denied this. A GMB union source told the BBC the deal could see half of the disputed 200 jobs offered to British workers, but a Unite leader has denied this.
Workers are angry a sub-contractor is using only non-British labour, and similar protests spread around the UK.Workers are angry a sub-contractor is using only non-British labour, and similar protests spread around the UK.
Unemployed workers and contractors in refineries, power stations and nuclear plants have been taking part in protests since last week. Unemployed workers and contractors in oil refineries, power stations and nuclear plants have been taking part in protests since last week.
Union activists have said the issue had been simmering in the industry for years, with British workers being excluded from some jobs.Union activists have said the issue had been simmering in the industry for years, with British workers being excluded from some jobs.
On Wednesday morning protesters again gathered at the Lindsey site, a week after the walkouts began. On Wednesday morning protesters again gathered at the Lindsey site, a week after the walkouts began. It will occur again, and I'm sure it will occur in other countries... you can't just use the freedom of labour to the exclusion of indigenous labour Derek Simpson, Unite
The current row is centred on the North Lincolnshire plant, in North Killingholme, which is owned by French company Total.The current row is centred on the North Lincolnshire plant, in North Killingholme, which is owned by French company Total.
A contract for work to expand the refinery was sub-contracted by Total's main contractor - engineering firm Jacobs - to an Italian company, IREM, which decided to use its own foreign workforce.A contract for work to expand the refinery was sub-contracted by Total's main contractor - engineering firm Jacobs - to an Italian company, IREM, which decided to use its own foreign workforce.
Total insists it is not discriminating against British workers and that the decision to award the contract was fair. Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia Labour MP Jon Cruddas Total insists it is not discriminating against British workers and that the decision to award the contract was fair.
But the protests at Lindsey spread across the UK, with workers at other sites holding unofficial "sympathy" walkouts. But the protests spread and in the last week thousands of workers at more than 20 sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have taken part in "sympathy" walkouts and protests.
On Tuesday, some 600 workers at Langage power station, near Plymouth, Devon, joined the strikes, as did up to 500 at Shell's Stanlow refinery, in Cheshire. Talks involving the unions, Total, and its contractors began on Monday in Scunthorpe, then moved to a hotel near Grimsby.
Walkouts were also held at other sites including Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, Coryton oil refinery in Thurrock, Essex, and Longannet power station in Fife. On Tuesday night, Acas said: "Conclusions are to be discussed with a large group of local trade union officials first thing [on Wednesday].
In the last week workers at more than 20 sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have taken part in the protests.
Jobs shared
Talks involving the main parties in the dispute began on Monday at a hotel near Grimsby.
On Tuesday night, Acas released a statement saying: "Conclusions are to be discussed with a large group of local trade union officials first thing tomorrow morning.
"This will be followed by a mass meeting of the workforce.""This will be followed by a mass meeting of the workforce."
Union sources told the BBC that the deal appeared to offer 50% of the disputed jobs to British workers. But the source added that "the devil will be in the detail", which union officials are yet to see. Union sources told the BBC that the deal appeared to offer 50% of the disputed jobs to British workers. But the source added that "the devil will be in the detail".Construction and maintenance workers around the UK have protested
Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, told BBC Breakfast the dispute needed to be settled, but there was still a "wider problem" to address.
"Even if this dispute is settled [there is] still a major problem about how these foreign companies, who win contracts and come complete with a workforce, are going to create other difficulties.
"We need to build in some sort of concept that the jobs that are created by these contracts are open to everyone - to foreign and to UK workers."
He said there were several other similar disputes "bubbling under" at other places.
"It will occur again, and I'm sure it will occur in other countries as well unless there's a realisation that you can't just use the freedom of labour to the exclusion of indigenous labour."
He said he knew the details of the deal and reports that it proposed taking jobs from Italian workers and give them to British people was "wrong".
BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said that as the strikes were unofficial the ability of union leaders to get workers to accept a deal was "far from certain".BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said that as the strikes were unofficial the ability of union leaders to get workers to accept a deal was "far from certain".
He said there were also question marks about response of the Italian and Portuguese workers who could be forced to give up their jobs, and whether this would set a precedent.
'Respect agreements''Respect agreements'
On Tuesday crowds of demonstrators had gathered outside the Lindsey plant, where strike committee member Phil Whitehurst said he and his colleagues were convinced of their case. During Tuesday's demonstration outside the Lindsey plant strike committee member Phil Whitehurst said they were convinced of their case.
"People have said it's racist. It's not. We're not part of the BNP. I've shunned the BNP away from here," he said."People have said it's racist. It's not. We're not part of the BNP. I've shunned the BNP away from here," he said.
"It's about British workers getting access to a British construction site."Construction and maintenance workers around the UK have protested "It's about British workers getting access to a British construction site."
The CBI has backed the company at the centre of the dispute, while Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said the country should focus on the economics of the recession, not on "the politics of xenophobia".The CBI has backed the company at the centre of the dispute, while Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said the country should focus on the economics of the recession, not on "the politics of xenophobia".
But Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas criticised the language being used by the government and said people should focus on the need for employers to respect local employment agreements as well as national pay deals.But Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas criticised the language being used by the government and said people should focus on the need for employers to respect local employment agreements as well as national pay deals.
"Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia," he said."Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia," he said.
"I am afraid that does not respect some of the issues that are at work here and that sort of language builds up the problem rather than acknowledges the nature of the problem.""I am afraid that does not respect some of the issues that are at work here and that sort of language builds up the problem rather than acknowledges the nature of the problem."
Derek Simpson, the joint leader of Unite, said the strike action was "not about race or immigration, it's about class".
"It's about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions," he said.
Labour MP John Mann has put down a Commons early day motion "deploring" the use of foreign workers at the Lindsey refinery and praising unions for "exposing this exploitation and the absence of equal opportunities to apply for all jobs".Labour MP John Mann has put down a Commons early day motion "deploring" the use of foreign workers at the Lindsey refinery and praising unions for "exposing this exploitation and the absence of equal opportunities to apply for all jobs".