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| Sacked oil workers burn letters | Sacked oil workers burn letters |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Workers sacked at the Lindsey oil refinery 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. | 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. | It said it was "encouraged" by the amount of feedback it had had from the workers involved. |
| The company said it would not know the number of workers reapplying for their jobs until the end of the week because of the number of sub-contractors on the site. | The company said it would not know the number of workers reapplying for their jobs until the end of the week because of the number of sub-contractors on the site. |
| The workers 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 withdrew their labour last week in protest at a sub-contractor axing 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring people. |
| We go out together, we go back together Phil Whitehurst GMB | We go out together, we go back together Phil Whitehurst GMB |
| Elsewhere, workers across the UK have walked out in sympathy. They include: | Elsewhere, workers across the UK have walked out in sympathy. They include: |
| • 400 workers at two LNG plants in west Wales - South Hook and Dragon | • 400 workers at two LNG plants in west Wales - South Hook and Dragon |
| • 200 contractors at Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales | • 200 contractors at Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales |
| • 200 contractors at Drax and Eggborough power stations near Selby, North Yorkshire | • 200 contractors at Drax and Eggborough power stations near Selby, North Yorkshire |
| • Workers at Fiddlers Ferry power station in Widnes, Cheshire | • Workers at Fiddlers Ferry power station in Widnes, Cheshire |
| • Contract maintenance workers at the Shell Stanlow Refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire | • Contract maintenance workers at the Shell Stanlow Refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire |
| • 60 contract maintenance workers at Didcot A power station in Oxfordshire | • 60 contract maintenance workers at Didcot A power station in Oxfordshire |
| 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. |
| Our government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won't Kenny Ward Sacked worker | Our government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won't Kenny Ward Sacked worker |
| Speakers at a mass meeting in a car park opposite the Lindsey refinery said the demonstrators were standing firm. | 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. | 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." | "We go out together, we go back together." |
| Sacked worker Kenny Ward told the meeting: "Would Total do the same in France? Absolutely not, because there wouldn't be a tanker on its four wheels. | Sacked worker Kenny Ward told the meeting: "Would Total do the same in France? Absolutely not, because there wouldn't be a tanker on its four wheels. |
| "They'd all be turned over on their sides, blockading every road to this refinery, because the French wouldn't put up with it - or the French government, or the German government, or the Spanish, the Italians and every other government in the European Union. | "They'd all be turned over on their sides, blockading every road to this refinery, because the French wouldn't put up with it - or the French government, or the German government, or the Spanish, the Italians and every other government in the European Union. |
| "But our government will. Our government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won't." | "But our government will. Our government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won't." |
| The GMB is planning to stage a demonstration outside the Lindsey refinery on Tuesday. | The GMB is planning to stage a demonstration outside the Lindsey refinery on Tuesday. |
| 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. |
| Total calls for all parties to respect employment law and to work together Total | Total calls for all parties to respect employment law and to work together Total |
| 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 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. | Last week the firm was accused of pulling out of talks with unions at the conciliation service Acas. |
| A Total spokesman said it was hopeful that work on a construction project, which had been halted because of the dispute, would be able to restart in the next few weeks. | A Total spokesman said it was hopeful that work on a construction project, which had been halted because of the dispute, would be able to restart in the next few weeks. |
| "Total wishes to stress that at no stage has it asked its contract companies to reduce their workforce's pay and conditions in any way and will not seek to do so. | "Total wishes to stress that at no stage has it asked its contract companies to reduce their workforce's pay and conditions in any way and will not seek to do so. |
| "Total calls for all parties to respect employment law and to work together within the nationally negotiated agreements to which they are signatories." | "Total calls for all parties to respect employment law and to work together within the nationally negotiated agreements to which they are signatories." |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "This is a matter between the management and workers, but we would hope it can be resolved as quickly as possible. | |
| "It continues to be our view that the parties do need to talk - ideally through 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 |