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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Deal hope in foreign workers row | Deal hope in foreign workers row |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A possible deal to end the row over the use of foreign labour at Lincolnshire's Lindsey Oil Refinery will be put to local union leaders and workers later. | |
| The proposal emerged late on Tuesday after talks, chaired by Acas, between unions and the refinery's owner. | |
| A GMB union source told the BBC the deal could see half of the disputed 200 jobs offered to British workers. | A GMB union source told the BBC the deal could see half of the disputed 200 jobs offered to British workers. |
| British workers at the refinery are angry that a sub-contractor is using only Italian and Portuguese labour. | British workers at the refinery are angry that a sub-contractor is using only Italian and Portuguese labour. |
| The row broke out at the North Lincolnshire plant, which is owned by French company Total, last week. | The row broke out at the North Lincolnshire plant, which is owned by French company Total, last week. |
| A contract for work to expand the refinery was sub-contracted by Total's main contractor - engineering firm Jacobs - to an Italian company, IREM, which decided to use its own foreign workforce. | A contract for work to expand the refinery was sub-contracted by Total's main contractor - engineering firm Jacobs - to an Italian company, IREM, which decided to use its own foreign workforce. |
| Total insists it is not discriminating against British workers and that the decision to award the contract was fair. Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia Labour MP Jon Cruddas | Total insists it is not discriminating against British workers and that the decision to award the contract was fair. Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia Labour MP Jon Cruddas |
| But the protests at Lindsey have spread across the UK, with workers at other sites holding unofficial "sympathy" walkouts. | But the protests at Lindsey have spread across the UK, with workers at other sites holding unofficial "sympathy" walkouts. |
| On Tuesday, some 600 workers at Langage power station, near Plymouth, Devon, joined the strikes, as did up to 500 at Shell's Stanlow refinery, in Cheshire. | On Tuesday, some 600 workers at Langage power station, near Plymouth, Devon, joined the strikes, as did up to 500 at Shell's Stanlow refinery, in Cheshire. |
| Walkouts are also continuing at other sites including Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, Coryton oil refinery in Thurrock, Essex, and Longannet power station in Fife. | Walkouts are also continuing at other sites including Drax Power Station, near Selby in North Yorkshire, Coryton oil refinery in Thurrock, Essex, and Longannet power station in Fife. |
| Jobs shared | Jobs shared |
| Talks involving the main parties in the dispute began on Monday at a hotel near Grimsby. | Talks involving the main parties in the dispute began on Monday at a hotel near Grimsby. |
| On Tuesday night, Acas released a statement saying: "Conclusions are to be discussed with a large group of local trade union officials first thing tomorrow morning. | On Tuesday night, Acas released a statement saying: "Conclusions are to be discussed with a large group of local trade union officials first thing tomorrow morning. |
| "This will be followed by a mass meeting of the workforce." | "This will be followed by a mass meeting of the workforce." |
| Union sources told the BBC that the deal appeared to offer 50% of the disputed jobs to British workers. SUPPORT PROTESTS 1. Stanlow oil refinery2. Longannet power station3. Drax power station4. Coryton oil refinery5. Langage power station 6. Marchwood power station7. Fawley oil refinery 8-12: Torness power station [8]; Mossmorran chemical plant [9]; Aberthaw power station [10]; South Hook natural gas terminal [11]; ICI chemical refinery [12] 13-17: Corus steel plant [13]; Fiddler's Ferry power station [14]; AES Kilroot power station [15]; Cockenzie power station [16]; Sellafield nuclear site [17]18-22: Heysham nuclear power station [18]; Staythorpe power station [19]; Didcot power station [20] Grangemouth oil refinery [21]; St Fergus gas plant [22] | Union sources told the BBC that the deal appeared to offer 50% of the disputed jobs to British workers. SUPPORT PROTESTS 1. Stanlow oil refinery2. Longannet power station3. Drax power station4. Coryton oil refinery5. Langage power station 6. Marchwood power station7. Fawley oil refinery 8-12: Torness power station [8]; Mossmorran chemical plant [9]; Aberthaw power station [10]; South Hook natural gas terminal [11]; ICI chemical refinery [12] 13-17: Corus steel plant [13]; Fiddler's Ferry power station [14]; AES Kilroot power station [15]; Cockenzie power station [16]; Sellafield nuclear site [17]18-22: Heysham nuclear power station [18]; Staythorpe power station [19]; Didcot power station [20] Grangemouth oil refinery [21]; St Fergus gas plant [22] |
| But the source added that "the devil will be in the detail", which union officials are yet to see. | But the source added that "the devil will be in the detail", which union officials are yet to see. |
| Earlier, crowds of demonstrators had gathered outside the Lindsey plant, where strike committee member Phil Whitehurst said he and his colleagues were convinced of their case. | Earlier, crowds of demonstrators had gathered outside the Lindsey plant, where strike committee member Phil Whitehurst said he and his colleagues were convinced of their case. |
| "People have said it's racist. It's not. We're not part of the BNP. I've shunned the BNP away from here," he said. | "People have said it's racist. It's not. We're not part of the BNP. I've shunned the BNP away from here," he said. |
| "It's about British workers getting access to a British construction site." | "It's about British workers getting access to a British construction site." |
| The CBI has backed the company at the centre of the dispute, while Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said the country should focus on the economics of the recession, not on "the politics of xenophobia". | The CBI has backed the company at the centre of the dispute, while Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said the country should focus on the economics of the recession, not on "the politics of xenophobia". |
| But Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas criticised the language being used by the government and said people should focus on the need for employers to respect local employment agreements as well as national pay deals. | But Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas criticised the language being used by the government and said people should focus on the need for employers to respect local employment agreements as well as national pay deals. |
| "Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia," he said. | "Unfortunately, over the last day or two, we have heard a lot of talk about xenophobia," he said. |
| "I am afraid that does not respect some of the issues that are at work here and that sort of language builds up the problem rather than acknowledges the nature of the problem." | "I am afraid that does not respect some of the issues that are at work here and that sort of language builds up the problem rather than acknowledges the nature of the problem." |
| Derek Simpson, the joint leader of Unite, said the strike action was "not about race or immigration, it's about class". | Derek Simpson, the joint leader of Unite, said the strike action was "not about race or immigration, it's about class". |
| "It's about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions," he said. | "It's about employers who exploit workers regardless of their nationality by undercutting their hard won pay and conditions," he said. |
| Labour MP John Mann has put down a Commons early day motion "deploring" the use of foreign workers at the Lindsey refinery and praising unions for "exposing this exploitation and the absence of equal opportunities to apply for all jobs". | Labour MP John Mann has put down a Commons early day motion "deploring" the use of foreign workers at the Lindsey refinery and praising unions for "exposing this exploitation and the absence of equal opportunities to apply for all jobs". |