Refinery jobs walkout talks fail

The strike has entered its third day but the plant is "not affected"

Talks aimed at resolving a dispute that started a wildcat strike at a North Lincolnshire oil refinery have failed.

About 1,200 workers at the Lindsey Oil Refinery continued their unofficial strike for a third day on Monday.

The workers withdrew their labour last week in protest at a sub-contractor cutting 51 jobs while another employer on the site was hiring workers.

Up to 140 contractors at Fiddlers Ferry Power Station in Widnes, Cheshire, have walked out in support.

In a statement, David Porter, director at subcontractors AE&E Lentjes said: "[A total of] 140 Lentjes staff walked out of Fiddlers Ferry Power Station at 1.30pm today in support of colleagues at the Lindsey Oil Refinery.

"They are electricians, insulators and scaffolders and will hold another meeting at 8am tomorrow to decide whether or not to return to work."

Commenting earlier, Lindsey Oil Refinery owner Total said it was "frustrated" talks had broken down and called for an end to the "illegal walkout".

The company said the refinery was operating normally and was not affected by the action.

Conciliation move

"We are extremely disappointed and frustrated that our contractor workforce... has decided not to return to work," Total said in a statement.

"The contractor workforce was asked to return to work and end the illegal walkout at a meeting between contractor management and union representatives this morning.

"The contractor workforce decided to continue the unofficial action."

The company said there would be a further meeting with GMB union officials and contractor management on Tuesday morning.

"We are keen to clarify the demands of the contractor workforce so we can resolve the situation as soon as possible," it said.

The conciliation service Acas is believed to have been asked to attend talks on Tuesday in a bid to resolve the dispute.

Meanwhile, the strikers are expected to go home and return for another mass meeting on Tuesday morning.

The refinery was hit by unofficial action earlier this year in a row over the recruitment of non-UK workers.

The site at Killingholme employs 550 staff and has up to 1,000 contract workers at any time.

The staff who walked out were contract workers.

The GMB union claimed the workers affected by the latest job cuts were being victimised for striking earlier this year.

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