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Sacked oil workers burn letters | Sacked oil workers burn letters |
(31 minutes later) | |
Workers at the Lindsey oil refinery, sacked for taking unofficial strike action, have burned dozens of dismissal letters in a mass protest. | |
It came as workers from other UK sites walked out in support. | It came as workers from other UK sites walked out in support. |
Total, which runs the facility in North Lincolnshire, sacked 650 construction workers, giving them until 1700 BST Monday to reapply for their jobs. | |
It said it was "encouraged" by the amount of feedback it had had from the workers involved. | |
We go out together, we go back together Phil Whitehurst GMB | |
Elsewhere, about 200 contractors have walked out of Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, in support of workers at the Lindsey oil refinery. | Elsewhere, about 200 contractors have walked out of Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, in support of workers at the Lindsey oil refinery. |
And around 200 contractors at Drax and Eggborough power stations near Selby, North Yorkshire, have walked out. | And around 200 contractors at Drax and Eggborough power stations near Selby, North Yorkshire, have walked out. |
Activists have said they expect thousands of workers to take action in the coming days in support of the sacked workers. | Activists have said they expect thousands of workers to take action in the coming days in support of the sacked workers. |
Workers in Teesside, South Wales, Cheshire and Yorkshire were among those who came out in support last week. | Workers in Teesside, South Wales, Cheshire and Yorkshire were among those who came out in support last week. |
Speakers at a mass meeting in a car park opposite the Lindsey refinery said the demonstrators were standing firm. | |
Phil Whitehurst, of the GMB union, told the crowd: "Let them show us how many want to go back in there crawling on their bellies for their jobs. | |
"We go out together, we go back together." | |
Foreign workers row | Foreign workers row |
The sacked Lindsey workers had been building another plant next to the existing site in Killingholme, but withdrew their labour last week in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. | The sacked Lindsey workers had been building another plant next to the existing site in Killingholme, but withdrew their labour last week in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. |
The workers argued this broke an agreement not to cut jobs while there were vacancies elsewhere on the site. Total insists no such agreement was in place. | The workers argued this broke an agreement not to cut jobs while there were vacancies elsewhere on the site. Total insists no such agreement was in place. |
Workers say the assurances were given in February following a bitter dispute in which they said foreign labour was being used to exclude British contractors and to undermine hard-won conditions. | Workers say the assurances were given in February following a bitter dispute in which they said foreign labour was being used to exclude British contractors and to undermine hard-won conditions. |
The foreign workers row led to to a wave of unofficial strikes and protests at refineries and power stations across the UK. | The foreign workers row led to to a wave of unofficial strikes and protests at refineries and power stations across the UK. |
Last week the firm was accused of pulling out of talks with unions at the conciliation service Acas. | |
Are you an employee or contractor at Lindsey Oil Refinery? Have you gone on strike in support of the sacked Lindsey workers? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you an employee or contractor at Lindsey Oil Refinery? Have you gone on strike in support of the sacked Lindsey workers? 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 |