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| Total sacks 900 oil plant workers | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Nearly 900 workers constructing a new plant at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire have been sacked, following unofficial strike action. | Nearly 900 workers constructing a new plant at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire have been sacked, following unofficial strike action. |
| About 1,200 contract workers walked out last week in a dispute over 51 redundancies. They claim an agreement not to cut any jobs had been broken. | About 1,200 contract workers walked out last week in a dispute over 51 redundancies. They claim an agreement not to cut any jobs had been broken. |
| Total, which owns the plant, said no such agreement was in place. | Total, which owns the plant, said no such agreement was in place. |
| Managers had asked staff to return to work, but late on Thursday confirmed "with regret" hundreds had been sacked. | Managers had asked staff to return to work, but late on Thursday confirmed "with regret" hundreds had been sacked. |
| A spokesman for Unite said: "We are extremely concerned about the ramifications of the employer's actions. | A spokesman for Unite said: "We are extremely concerned about the ramifications of the employer's actions. |
| "We are urging all parties to get back around the negotiating table to resolve this situation." | "We are urging all parties to get back around the negotiating table to resolve this situation." |
| 'Illegal' | 'Illegal' |
| The action at Lindsey has spread over the past few days to other power stations at Drax and Eggborough in Yorkshire, Ratcliffe in Nottinghamshire and BP's Saltend refinery near Hull. | The action at Lindsey has spread over the past few days to other power stations at Drax and Eggborough in Yorkshire, Ratcliffe in Nottinghamshire and BP's Saltend refinery near Hull. |
| Negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work Total statement | Negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work Total statement |
| Workers have also walked at the BOC oxygen plant at Scunthorpe, Fiddlers Ferry in Cheshire and Aberthaw in south Wales. | Workers have also walked at the BOC oxygen plant at Scunthorpe, Fiddlers Ferry in Cheshire and Aberthaw in south Wales. |
| The BBC's Paul Murphy said some workers were gathering outside the Lindsey refinery to protest at the decision. | |
| He said: "Many more are expected this morning - both here and potentially at other sites across the country who could also walk out in sympathy." | |
| He said the Lindsey workers had withdrawn their labour in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. | |
| "The workers believe that the sacked workers should have been transferred to those new jobs and they were not." | |
| Talks stall | |
| Planned talks between unions and employers aimed at breaking the deadlock stalled on Tuesday. | Planned talks between unions and employers aimed at breaking the deadlock stalled on Tuesday. |
| In a statement, Total said the workers had been involved in "an unofficial, illegal walk out" that was "repudiated" by both Unite and the GMB union. | In a statement, Total said the workers had been involved in "an unofficial, illegal walk out" that was "repudiated" by both Unite and the GMB union. |
| The workers had been building a new plant next to the existing site. | The workers had been building a new plant next to the existing site. |
| "Total can confirm, with regret, that our contractors have now started the process of ending the current employment contracts for their workforce on the HDS-3 construction project," the company said. | "Total can confirm, with regret, that our contractors have now started the process of ending the current employment contracts for their workforce on the HDS-3 construction project," the company said. |
| Total said it had "repeatedly sought to encourage the workforce to return to work so that proper negotiations can take place". | Total said it had "repeatedly sought to encourage the workforce to return to work so that proper negotiations can take place". |
| "This is in line with the union and industry agreed process that negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work. | "This is in line with the union and industry agreed process that negotiations over illegal strikes cannot commence until the workforce has returned to work. |
| The Lindsey refinery is owned by French company Total | The Lindsey refinery is owned by French company Total |
| "It is frustrating and disappointing that these attempts have failed." | "It is frustrating and disappointing that these attempts have failed." |
| Total said any contract staff who wanted to return to the site could reapply for positions until Monday. | Total said any contract staff who wanted to return to the site could reapply for positions until Monday. |
| The construction project will remain closed in the meantime. | The construction project will remain closed in the meantime. |
| Total added that the 51 disputed redundancies were necessary because the relevant part of the project had been completed. | Total added that the 51 disputed redundancies were necessary because the relevant part of the project had been completed. |
| "That is the nature of the construction industry and is normal industry practice," it said. | "That is the nature of the construction industry and is normal industry practice," it said. |
| The Lindsey refinery suffered strikes earlier this year over the employment of non-UK workers. | The Lindsey refinery suffered strikes earlier this year over the employment of non-UK workers. |
| Following the news of the sackings, a representative of Unite said staff had believed there was a local agreement in place not to cut any jobs while those foreign contactors were employed. | Following the news of the sackings, a representative of Unite said staff had believed there was a local agreement in place not to cut any jobs while those foreign contactors were employed. |
| Are you an employee or contractor at Lindsey Oil Refinery? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you an employee or contractor at Lindsey Oil Refinery? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |