Hundreds of Scottish workers join protests at oil refineries

Published on Saturday 31 January 2009 21:44

WILDCAT energy strikes are set to escalate tomorrow as hundreds more Scottish workers join in the protest over building contracts being handed to foreign workers.

Union stewards claimed the numbers of power workers striking in Scotland would rise to 2,500, almost 1,000 more than last week, when energy plants including Grangemouth oil refinery were hit.

The protests centre on the decision by managers at the Lindsey oil refinery in North Lincolnshire to fly in Italian and Portuguese workers for construction work, rather than more expensive local staff.

Mediators began emergency talks between workers and employers at the plant yesterday in a bid to settle the dispute.

But Bobby Buirds, an official with the Unite trade union, warned that peace could be a distant prospect as the strikes reached "escalation stage" over the weekend. Mass meetings were due to happen today between workers at all seven sites in Scotland involved in the strike.

In Davos, Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the unofficial action, insisting it was "not defensible". But the strikers are furious because of Brown's declaration two years ago that he would ensure "British jobs for British workers".

In a TV interview today, Brown claims he meant he wanted to boost British skills so that workers in the UK could fill vacancies.

First Minister Alex Salmond last night said the strikes must be dealt with swiftly to prevent panic setting in.

The owners of the refinery, Total, gave the contract to the Italian firm IREM, which will use Italian and Portuguese workers, housed in floating homes by Grimsby docks, to complete the work at a cheaper price.

On Wednesday, unemployed construction workers and engineers came out in protest against the decision to award the contract, and accused Brown of reneging on his promise of "British jobs for British workers".

Thousands of Scottish workers joined the protests, fighting the "unscrupulous" practice of foreign firms undercutting British engineering and construction companies. They included contract workers at seven power stations, including Cockenzie, Longannet and Torness.

Asked what his message would be to workers taking industrial action, Brown said: "That that's not the right thing to do and it's not defensible".

Brown says today that his "British jobs for British workers" slogan was actually referring to plans to give British workers more skills.

"When I talked about British jobs, I was taking about giving people in Britain the skills, so that they have the ability to get jobs which were, at present, going to people from abroad… and actually encouraging people to take up the courses and the educational and learning that it is necessary for British workers to be far more skilled for the future," he will tell BBC's Politics Show.

He adds: "We are part of a single European market but I have always understood the worries that people have. They look round and say, well, why can't we do these jobs… these are jobs that we can do… No government in history is doing more to try and find ways that we can help people who are unemployed back in to work as quickly as possible."

Meanwhile, Buirds warned industrial action is escalating. He said: "All sites are meeting tomorrow and the shop stewards there will put forward proposals to the workforce. The shop stewards seem to think its up to about 2,500 now with more workers getting involved. I think it's at the escalation stage at the moment."

First Minister Alex Salmond urged those taking part in the action to return to work. He said: "Obviously workers are angry about what's been happening in a plant in England. I'm hoping that as soon as they have protested they will get back to work. At times like these, it is really important that nobody does anything that jeopardises any jobs whatsoever."

The UK Government has now called in the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to try to bring an end to the deadlock and prevent further action tomorrow.

Scottish Conservative MSP Derek Brownlee said: "Industrial action should always be a last resort. The public take a pretty dim view of people disrupting services and their daily lives, even when they are sympathetic. The only answer is getting round the table and discussing the issues."

A Scottish Government spokesman emphasised the situation should not affect power supplies. He said: "There is no dislocation of electricity or fuel supplies in Scotland, but we are closely monitoring the situation in liaison with Scottish Power, Scottish & Southern Energy, INEOS and British Energy."