Hundreds Of UK Contractors Strike Over Foreign Labor
May 20 2009 - 9:39AM
Dow Jones News
Hundreds of contract workers at U.K. energy facilities held a
second day of unofficial strikes Wednesday to protest the use of
foreign labor.
The latest wave of walkouts - which echoed similar industrial
action in January and February - was triggered Tuesday by
contractors at the South Hook liquefied natural gas terminal at
Milford Haven in Wales.
The workers said Netherlands-based industrial services company
Hertel had been unfair to local workers in its hiring for an
insulation project, according to the U.K.'s GMB Union.
The South Hook contractors resumed their strike Wednesday, GMB
said. Negotiations took place late Tuesday between union
representatives and Hertel, and were expected to continue later
Wednesday, the union added.
"A subcontractor working on the South Hook site is involved in
ongoing discussions to resolve the situation," a spokesman for the
South Hook LNG Terminal Company Ltd. said.
Workers at ConocoPhillips' (COP) 221,000 barrel a day Humber
refinery in northern England walked out for a second day in
sympathy with the South Hook workers. They were joined by
contractors from Total SA's (TOT) nearby Lindsey oil refinery.
Operations weren't affected at either refinery.
Around 800 protestors participated in a peaceful protest near
the refineries, local police said.
Meanwhile, 300 contract workers at RWE AG's (RWE.XE) Aberthaw
Power Station in Wales downed tools for a second day and 100
contractors at U.K. power company Scottish and Southern Energy's
(SSE.LN) Fiddlers Ferry power station walked out. Fifty contractors
at a Chevron Corp.-held (CVX) hotel near its 220,000-barrel-a-day
Pembroke refinery also left their posts.
In a statement Tuesday, Hertel said it had sought, but was
unable to secure, skilled local workers for the three-month
insulation project. It subcontracted the works to a third party
that employs non-U.K. workers.
"We have agreed with union officials that we will hire local
skilled personnel once they are identified," Hertel managing
director David Fitzsimons said in an emailed statement. "We
understand people's concerns and we have engaged in detailed
discussions with trade union national officials and local
representatives."
Hertel said it complied with national labor agreements on terms
and conditions for workers.
In January and February, hundreds of workers walked out of U.K.
refineries, power plants and other energy facilities after Total
awarded a construction subcontract at the Lindsey oil refinery to
an Italy-based company Irem SpA.
-By Lananh Nguyen, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)20-7842-9479;
lananh.nguyen@dowjones.com
(Angela Henshall, Reza Amanat, Selina Williams and Nick Heath in
London contributed to this report.)