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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Total sacks 900 oil plant workers | Total sacks 900 oil plant workers |
| (41 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." |
| The call was backed by the general secretary of the GMB Union, Paul Kenney. | |
| "Total have not tried to resolve this dispute, they sought to escalate it and they have sought to victimise people... I'm appealing to Total to actually come to the table and help the unions resolve it," he said. | |
| 'Illegal' | 'Illegal' |
| The action at Lindsey had 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. | 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: "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. | 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." | "The workers believe that the sacked workers should have been transferred to those new jobs and they were not." |
| One of the sacked contract workers, John McEwan, said: "We were left no option. | |
| "If we have to defend the rights of our men on these sites and our pay and conditions then we have to do that." | |
| Talks stall | 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 |