2nd UPDATE: Total: End Of Week Before Contractors Re-Hired
June 22 2009 - 9:17AM
Dow Jones News
Total SA (TOT) said Monday it has no plans to finalize how many
contract workers it will re-hire at its U.K. Lindsey oil refinery
before the end of the week, which could prolong protests at energy
plants across the country.
The French oil major's move to lay off 647 contract workers
Friday at Lindsey in Lincolnshire, eastern England, following week
long unofficial strike action at the 200,000-barrel-a-day refinery
has been met with anger by unions and workers sparking a wave of
sympathy protests across the U.K. The Unite union has put the total
job losses closer to 900.
Humberside police said between 500 and 700 people were
protesting outside the Lindsey refinery site earlier Monday, some
protesters, according to union spokespeople, burnt letters they had
received informing them of job cuts.
The main contract company involved, Jacobs Engineering Group
Inc. (JEC) informed workers of the decision Thursday, giving them
until 1600 GMT Monday to reapply for jobs. Dow Jones Newswires has
repeatedly contacted Jacobs but the company has refused to
comment.
Unite union assistant general secretary, Les Bayliss, said it
will sit down Monday with the employers to assist negotiations,
adding that so far it believes the oil major's refusal to take part
in joint talks has fanned the flames of the dispute.
"It's time for Total to get serious about seeking a resolution
to the problems at Lindsey. Their behavior so far has only served
to heighten the unofficial dispute," said Bayliss. "The country is
at the height of a recession, there is a great deal of uncertainty
in the construction industry. Instead of showing sensitivity and
good management, employers are treating construction workers as
disposable commodities."
"Neither the companies nor the unions concerned can accept
illegal, unofficial strikes called without any democratic ballot,"
Total said in a statement.
Around 360 contract workers, who work on either construction or
maintenance projects at Aberthaw and Didcot A power stations,
downed tools today Monday in sympathy with Lindsey workers, the
company said.
In addition approximately 300 contract workers walked out at
ConocoPhillips' (COP) 221,000-barrel-a-day Humber refinery followed
by 230 contract workers at the U.K.'s South Hook liquefied natural
gas terminal in Pembrokeshire.
A spokeswoman for Scottish and Southern Energy confirmed a
number of AE&E Lentjes contractors were striking at its
Ferrybridge power station. Workers also walked out at Royal Dutch
Shell PLC's (RDSB.LN) 240,000 barrel a day Stanlow refinery and at
BP PLC's (BP) Saltend Chemical Plant near Hull, northern England
Monday.
Operations haven't been disrupted at any of the plants including
Lindsey, according to the companies contacted.
The U.K.'s Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service said
attempts to get parties to enter in to official joint talks had so
far failed, but that it would continue to speak to them separately
this week.
The union "GMB will support the locked-out and victimized
workers, and will demonstrate that support with lawful and peaceful
protests," said GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny.
The unions are planning a large demonstration outside the
Lindsey site from 0530 GMT onward Tuesday.
-By Angela Henshall, Dow Jones Newswires;
angela.henshall@dowjones.com +44 (0)20 7842 9405 (James Herron and
Lananh Nguyen contributed to this story.)