Refinery strikes spread across UK

 

Refinery worker: 'They're giving all our jobs to other people'

Strikes have been breaking out across the UK in support of a mass walkout by energy workers in Lincolnshire angry at the use of foreign workers.

 

Hundreds gathered for the third day of the original strike at Lindsey Oil Refinery after owner Total gave a £200m contract to an Italian firm.

 

They have been supported by hundreds of other "sympathy" strikers in Scotland, Wales and other parts of England.

 

Total said there would be no "direct redundancies" as a result of the deal.

 

The firm added that staff employed by the Italian company IREM would be paid the same as existing contractors on the project. More than 300 of its workers have been brought in to do the work.

 

Sites affected by sympathy walk-outs include Fiddlers Ferry power station, Warrington, Cheshire; Grangemouth oil refinery in central Scotland; South Hook Liquified Natural Gas terminal in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire; and Kilroot Power station near Larne, County Antrim.

 

ENERGY WORKERS' PROTESTS

 

1. Grangemouth oil refinery, Central Scotland

2. Scottish Power's Longannet power station, Fife

3. Scottish Power's Cockenzie power station, East Lothian

4. Shell gas processing plant, St Fergus, Aberdeenshire

5. British Energy power station, Torness, East Lothian

6. Mossmorran chemical plant, Fife

7. Npower Aberthaw power station, south Wales

8. South Hook natural gas terminal, Milton Haven, Pembrokeshire

9. ICI chemical refinery at Wilton, Teesside

10. Corus steel plant near Redcar, Teeside

11. Scottish & Southern's Fiddler's Ferry power station, Cheshire

12. AES Kilroot power station, County Antrim

13. Marchwood power station, Hampshire

 

 

Where are protests taking place?

 

Total bosses said the Italian firm IREM, which employs a specialist workforce, had won the contract to construct the new HDS-3 unit at the Lindsey plant, after a "fair" tendering process.

 

Unite regional officer Bernard McAuley told Friday's rally in Lincolnshire: "There is sufficient unemployed, skilled labour wanting the right to work on that site and they are demanding the right to work on that site."

 

He said the leaders of Unite and the GMB had urged the prime minister to call an urgent meeting with the heads of industry in the engineering and construction industry.

 

Mass meeting

 

Later the prime minister's spokesman said the government would hold talks with the construction industry in the next few days "to ensure they are doing all they can to support the UK economy".

 

He said the contracts at the Lindsey refinery were awarded some time ago when there was a shortage of labour in the construction sector, which was now not the case.

 

Unite Regional officer Bobby Buirds said shop stewards would meet in Glasgow on Friday afternoon to discuss the Scottish protests, none of which involved pickets.

 

Some of the Scottish strikers have travelled to Lindsey to join the picket there.

 

Speaking on Friday from Wilton, on Teesside, one protester urged the prime minister to take action, saying: "All we want is for Gordon Brown to fulfil his promise. He said British jobs for British workers."

 

A protester at the Lincolnshire plant said British workers should have priority of access to jobs.

 

"It's been a kettle ready to boil and the lid has blown off now," he said.

 

When asked about the growing action, Gordon Brown - speaking from the World Economic Forum in Davos - said he "understood" people's worries.

 

HAVE YOUR SAY Where is the humanity in ruining someone's local environment by building a massive industrial refinery and then bringing in people from around the world to work there?

Ben Platt, Liverpool

Send us your commentsHe said the government was doing "everything we can" to shore up the economy as well as help individuals back into work.

 

Employment Minister Pat McFadden said the Prime Minister's promise of "British jobs for British workers" at the Labour Party conference in 2007 had not meant that UK firms would be encouraged to flout European laws on free mobility of labour.

 

"Gordon, in saying that, never said we are going to have economic protectionism, we're going to stop international trade, we're going to stop British companies trading abroad, or European companies trading here," Mr McFadden told BBC Five Live.

 

"What he's saying there is, I want to see the British workforce equipped for the jobs and skills of the future. And that's precisely what the government is doing."

 

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said he hoped workers would return to work quickly after making their point.

 

Unite's governing national executive has called for a national protest in Westminster, and joint general secretary Derek Simpson said it was consulting its lawyers over the legality of engineering and construction employment practices.

 

"The union is doing everything in its power to ensure that employers end this immoral, potentially illegal and politically dangerous practice of excluding UK workers from some construction projects," he said.

 

In a statement, Total said it "recognised" the concerns of contractors.

 

"It is important to note that we have been a major local employer for 40 years with 550 permanent staff employed at the refinery.

 

"There are also between 200 and 1,000 contractors working at the refinery, the vast majority of which work for UK companies employing local people."

 

The HDS-3 unit affected is separate to the main refinery. Total said the action has not affected normal operations.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7859968.stm

 

 

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This is very worrying... it seems we are going to be set on the path to war... !

Whoever is motivating these people, and brain washing them needs to be shot !

*makes note to stockpile fuel*

Oil be blowed!!:rolleyes:

I can understand the worker's concerns, as it's unfair to undercut the worker's union strength. How about bringing in labor from another country to replace the upper management positions? I'll bet that never happens!:laugh3:

But the real answer isn't more of the same. After seeing the enormous, almost unfathomable amount of wasted energy in the world, I'm beginning to wonder if being narrowly focused is the answer. Better would be to shift jobs from the energy sector to the efficiency sector. Homes in either the US or UK could be significantly upgraded to use one-tenth of their current energy needs, and oodles of good-paying jobs created in the "NegaWatts sector" as Amory Lovins likes to put it. And the benefit is no more need for coal or peat (unless you just want some for that mineral collection) in the long run; it's where we have to go anyhow, so we might as well begin the process, and shift jobs to that sector. Solar is sweet, Wind moves the spirit, but Efficiency answers the big question.

It's been a long long time since I've seen the movie, "It's a Mad, Mad World" - I need to go review..:laugh3: (pardon me Bart, but the way things happen sometimes is almost comical).

Yep sorry my point is this leads to racial attacks against foriegn people in general...and also people of 2nd and 3rd generations !

certain right wing media and Political parties will now jump on this sort of stuff, and you will end up with more far right people in power this is my only fear.

 

I was once racially attacked from a quote from a leader in the Conservative party in the UK which was used in a brain washing tabloid paper in the UK. !

 

People need to be careful very careful about what and how these things are reported or inocent people 2 3rd generation people whom are quite proud to be a native of their country feeling isolated.

 

I could go on and post ( this same story from the Sun newspaper go and look if you wish and the perception drawn will be so different, I know though you my friend chuck will see their bull between the lines.. even search skynews etc !

 

Hence another reason why I left the UK !

 

...

Further moor yes there is problems here in Spain ! But at least most of the time I wont understand what is being said and in my social group well that sort of problem does not exisit ! We are all the same !

I took a class on the EU and my professor told us about the horrible reputation Polish plumbers have there. Apparently they consider them "invaders" sort of like Americans think of Mexicans.

 

So one political party will try to gather all the racists' votes and the other party will create government programs to "help" the ethnic group so they can grab those votes.

This will only serve to fuel the unrest............................ :rolleyes:

This will only serve to fuel the unrest............................ :rolleyes:

 

Caused by the daily racist, sorry daily mail.

This will only serve to fuel the unrest............................ :rolleyes:

 

if its a fuel thing only Manchester City will gain... higher fuel pirces means even more money for City and thats fantastic !!!!!

123

Yep sorry my point is this leads to racial attacks against foriegn people in general...and also people of 2nd and 3rd generations !

certain right wing media and Political parties will now jump on this sort of stuff, and you will end up with more far right people in power this is my only fear.

That's unfortunate, but surprising to me Bart, as I think of the UK as very tolerant and not containing the McCarthyite types we have here.. And yet the same tactics are used in the UK & right wing media... hmm! I guess bad ideas are a universal constant!

 

I was once racially attacked from a quote from a leader in the Conservative party in the UK which was used in a brain washing tabloid paper in the UK. !

So you have first-hand experience with these monsters! I'm still trying to absorb the notion that xenophobia is present in the UK...:\

People need to be careful very careful about what and how these things are reported or inocent people 2 3rd generation people whom are quite proud to be a native of their country feeling isolated.

Supposedly better media watchdogs make this less of a problem? Here, it's a big issue when the economy tanks (as it is), and then xenophobia against foreign workers reaches a zenith, and they get blamed for everything..

 

I could go on and post ( this same story from the Sun newspaper go and look if you wish and the perception drawn will be so different, I know though you my friend chuck will see their bull between the lines.. even search skynews etc !

Bart, Does Rupert Murdock own the Sun? I'm beginning to sense how immense the influence of such media tycoons can be, and their ill-conceived methods of sensationalistic 'journalism'. But of course, you don't have Ann Coulter pining for her long-departed hero, Senator Joe McCarthy..:laugh3: (It would be more laughable, if so many in the American public didn't follow these nut-jobs..)

 

Hence another reason why I left the UK !

I see - but if all do that, Spain & France will become islands of civility in a sea of mad head-hunting tribes! I'm still trying to fathom the level of rhetoric possible in this day and age anywhere... It's like some lever got tripped to release the loonies, and we're just getting a handle on things again.

With Appreciation to you, Bart,

-Chuck.

...

Further moor yes there is problems here in Spain ! But at least most of the time I wont understand what is being said and in my social group well that sort of problem does not exisit ! We are all the same !

if its a fuel thing only Manchester City will gain... higher fuel pirces means even more money for City and thats fantastic !!!!!

 

Maybe, but they still can't beat the likes of Stoke, though (even with a one-man advantage).:rolleyes:

if its a fuel thing only Manchester City will gain... higher fuel pirces means even more money for City and thats fantastic !!!!!

 

You might be the richest club, but I can't see any superstar signings this window.

You might be the richest club, but I can't see any superstar signings this window.

 

Not even Sticktoria Beckham?:rolleyes:

123

 

That's unfortunate, but surprising to me Bart, as I think of the UK as very tolerant and not containing the McCarthyite types we have here.. And yet the same tactics are used in the UK & right wing media... hmm! I guess bad ideas are a universal constant!

Well there are far right wing groups line the British Natinoal Party and for some bizzare reason due to demcarcy and a free say to all these people are given a platform, by such press espcailly in times like these.

 

Thank god today, however I suspect now he is far to weak for anyone will pay the slightest bit of attention to him Gordan Brown came out, and said what he meant by his sound bit in a speach " British Jobs for British workers" Meaning he meant he would like to being for Birtish People to have the skills to compete from people with better skills from around the world as at the moment its lacking...

 

 

 

 

Supposedly better media watchdogs make this less of a problem? Here, it's a big issue when the economy tanks (as it is), and then xenophobia against foreign workers reaches a zenith, and they get blamed for everything..

 

 

Bart, Does Rupert Murdock own the Sun? I'm beginning to sense how immense the influence of such media tycoons can be, and their ill-conceived methods of sensationalistic 'journalism'. But of course, you don't have Ann Coulter pining for her long-departed hero, Senator Joe McCarthy.. (It would be more laughable, if so many in the American public didn't follow these nut-jobs..)

 

Yes sadly and he owns around 60 % of the media, did you know Tony blair post 1997 went halfway around the world ...

 

 

I see - but if all do that, Spain & France will become islands of civility in a sea of mad head-hunting tribes! I'm still trying to fathom the level of rhetoric possible in this day and age anywhere... It's like some lever got tripped to release the loonies, and we're just getting a handle on things again.

With Appreciation to you, Bart,

-Chuck.