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Power station walkout in Runcorn in row over local jobs Power station walkout in Runcorn in row over local jobs
(about 3 hours later)
Up to 1,000 workers at a power station construction site in Runcorn have walked out in a row over local jobs. Hundreds of workers at a power station construction site in Runcorn have walked out in a row over local jobs.
A GMB steward said a firm involved in building a thermal power station next to the Ineos Chlor chemical plant had broken an agreement over recruitment. The GMB union said a firm involved in building a thermal power station at the Ineos Chlor chemical plant had broken an agreement over local recruitment.
The walkout followed a protest by about 30 local people who said too many men were being employed to work on the site from outside Cheshire and Merseyside. The walkout followed a protest by about 30 people who claimed too many men were being employed from outside Cheshire and Merseyside.
The company at the centre of the dispute has yet to respond. Talks between the firm involved, Kaefer C & D Ltd, and the GMB are ongoing.
James Farnworth, who works on the site, said: "These men have the total sympathy of all the workers here. The company is one of several contracted to work on the power plant by project leaders Keppel Seghers.
The GMB said it was the only one which had broken the agreement to hire local labour first.
Kaefer C & D Ltd declined to comment.
'More balanced''More balanced'
A spokesperson for Keppel Seghers said: "We confirm that a contractor of the energy-from-waste combined heat and power plant project Kaefer C & D Ltd and union officials are holding discussions regarding the industrial action, in which about 400 workers participated.
"We are helping to facilitate the talks between the relevant parties for them to come to an amicable resolution soon."
James Farnworth, who works on the site, said: "These men have the total sympathy of all the workers here.
"I think it's a very unfortunate situation, one we would normally try to avoid, but these guys felt they had no option but to make their feelings known."I think it's a very unfortunate situation, one we would normally try to avoid, but these guys felt they had no option but to make their feelings known.
"It's an easy one to resolve - get the workforce more balanced in favour of local men.""It's an easy one to resolve - get the workforce more balanced in favour of local men."
According to GMB, only one of the companies involved in the construction has broken the agreement to hire local labour first. The power station will be used to turn non-recyclable waste into energy.
The power station will be used to turn non-recyclable waste into energy, which will be used as part of the chemical processing. Ineos Chlor is a chemical producer and a PVC manufacturer.
Ineos Chlor is a major chemical producer and a PVC manufacturer.