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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Refinery owner 'encourages talks' | Refinery owner 'encourages talks' |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The owners of the Lindsey oil refinery say they are "actively encouraging" talks to begin between contractors and unions over the sacking of 647 workers. | The owners of the Lindsey oil refinery say they are "actively encouraging" talks to begin between contractors and unions over the sacking of 647 workers. |
| In a statement on Tuesday, Total said it wanted the parties to "facilitate the return to work of its contracting companies' former workforces". | In a statement on Tuesday, Total said it wanted the parties to "facilitate the return to work of its contracting companies' former workforces". |
| The workers were dismissed from the North Lincolnshire refinery last week after staging unofficial strikes. | The workers were dismissed from the North Lincolnshire refinery last week after staging unofficial strikes. |
| Since then some 3,000 staff at other sites have walked out in support. | Since then some 3,000 staff at other sites have walked out in support. |
| The wildcat strikes are being held at eight sites including Sellafield in Cumbria, Longannet Power Station in Fife and the Ensus biofuel site in Teesside. | |
| 'Continued problem' | |
| The Lindsey workers first withdrew their labour on 11 June in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. | The Lindsey workers first withdrew their labour on 11 June in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. |
| The GMB union has organised a protest outside the plant on Tuesday morning, with as many as 500 men waving placards. | |
| Les Bayliss, assistant general secretary of the Unite union, told the BBC a meeting was scheduled between the parties on Tuesday afternoon. | |
| There is no question of a reduction in pay or dilution of existing terms and conditions Total statement | |
| "We're confident that we can find a mechanism to get a return to work, but... I've made it clear from Unite's position that top of that agenda is the reinstatement of the people that have been sacked," he said. | |
| "So unless that issue is dealt with then we're going to have a continued problem." | |
| French company Total had said previously that talks could only take place if the striking workers, employed by a company called Jacobs, returned to their jobs. | |
| But on Tuesday it said that discussions should begin immediately and "focus on getting the project back up and running within the agreed timeframe and budget". | |
| "There is no question of a reduction in pay or dilution of existing terms and conditions," it added. | "There is no question of a reduction in pay or dilution of existing terms and conditions," it added. |
| The sacked workers had been employed on a project known as HDS-3 to build a new site alongside the existing Lindsey plant. | The sacked workers had been employed on a project known as HDS-3 to build a new site alongside the existing Lindsey plant. |
| Total said the project was now six months behind schedule and that delays had already cost "in the region of an additional 100 million euros". | Total said the project was now six months behind schedule and that delays had already cost "in the region of an additional 100 million euros". |
| The company said it expected to hear by the end of the week how many contract workers had chosen to return. | The company said it expected to hear by the end of the week how many contract workers had chosen to return. |
| The BBC's Paul Murphy, who is at the refinery, said Total had insisted that calling for talks was all it could do because Jacobs was a sub-contactor and therefore Total had no legal responsibility for the employment of the men. |