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Foreign labour walkout continues Foreign labour walkout continues
(20 minutes later)
Hundreds of contract workers at power plants in England and Wales have begun a second day of unofficial strikes in protest at the use of foreign labour. Thousands of contract workers at oil and gas plants in England and Wales are staging unofficial strikes in protest over the use of foreign labour.
Staff at a Pembrokeshire gas terminal, a power station in South Wales and two North Lincolnshire oil refineries are all taking part in the wildcat action. Staff at a Pembrokeshire gas terminal and two oil refineries in North Lincolnshire are taking part in the wildcat action which began on Tuesday.
Workers there say an agreement to offer jobs to local workers has been broken.Workers there say an agreement to offer jobs to local workers has been broken.
Similar walkouts took place in January after a Lincolnshire refinery gave a £200m contract to an Italian firm.Similar walkouts took place in January after a Lincolnshire refinery gave a £200m contract to an Italian firm.
The latest dispute began on Tuesday when workers at the liquefied natural gas terminal in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, accused their bosses of breaching an agreement to employ British staff at the South Hook site.The latest dispute began on Tuesday when workers at the liquefied natural gas terminal in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, accused their bosses of breaching an agreement to employ British staff at the South Hook site.
'Regret situation''Regret situation'
Union shop steward Jason Smith said a contracting firm's decision to only employ Polish labour for a phase of work had got "everybody's backs up".Union shop steward Jason Smith said a contracting firm's decision to only employ Polish labour for a phase of work had got "everybody's backs up".
"The only reason we're here is they [the workers] all feel let down. The site agreement has always been local and British labour first," he said."The only reason we're here is they [the workers] all feel let down. The site agreement has always been local and British labour first," he said.
But Hertel UK, the contractor for the Pembrokeshire site, said it had been unable to source skilled people for the start of the project.But Hertel UK, the contractor for the Pembrokeshire site, said it had been unable to source skilled people for the start of the project.
They [the South Hook workers] came out in support of us in February and we are doing the same Tony RyanLindsey Oil Refinery Second day of action in Wales North Lincolnshire strikes continueThey [the South Hook workers] came out in support of us in February and we are doing the same Tony RyanLindsey Oil Refinery Second day of action in Wales North Lincolnshire strikes continue
Managing director David Fitzsimons said: "As a result, we subcontracted the works to a third party which also employs non-UK labour and was also engaged on phase one of this project in 2008."Managing director David Fitzsimons said: "As a result, we subcontracted the works to a third party which also employs non-UK labour and was also engaged on phase one of this project in 2008."
He added: "I regret that this situation has escalated. We understand people's concerns and we have engaged in detailed discussions with trade union national officials and local representatives."He added: "I regret that this situation has escalated. We understand people's concerns and we have engaged in detailed discussions with trade union national officials and local representatives."
Talks between the workers and contractors have taken place and are expected to continue later in a bid to resolve the row.Talks between the workers and contractors have taken place and are expected to continue later in a bid to resolve the row.
Meanwhile, a number of other sympathy strikes are continuing across the UK. Meanwhile, sympathy strikes are continuing in other parts of the UK.
Contract workers at the ConocoPhillips and Lindsey oil refineries in North Lincolnshire walked out on Tuesday and have voted to continue the action. More than two thousand workers at the ConocoPhillips and Lindsey oil refineries in North Lincolnshire have walked out after similar action on Tuesday.
Tony Ryan, a steward at Lindsey Oil Refinery, told the BBC: "They [the South Hook workers] came out in support of us in February and we are doing the same.Tony Ryan, a steward at Lindsey Oil Refinery, told the BBC: "They [the South Hook workers] came out in support of us in February and we are doing the same.
"They are suffering the same hardship as we suffered in February and the same discrimination and they have asked for our support and we are giving it fully.""They are suffering the same hardship as we suffered in February and the same discrimination and they have asked for our support and we are giving it fully."
Workers at other sites across the UK, including those at the Fiddlers Ferry power plant in Cheshire, are holding meetings to decide whether they will walk out in support of the action.Workers at other sites across the UK, including those at the Fiddlers Ferry power plant in Cheshire, are holding meetings to decide whether they will walk out in support of the action.