Construction strike spreads

Strike action by thousands of construction workers protesting against the use of foreign labour at power plants escalated this morning.

Workers walked-out at a string of refinery sites in support of the initial action by M&E workers at the Lindsey Oil Refinery in Lincolnshire.

There have also been reports of a sympathy strike is taking place at the Corus plant near Redcar.

Hundreds of workers gathered for a third day of action at Total’s Lindsey plant in protest against an Italian contractor, IREM, bringing in its own 225-strong workforce to help build a desulpherisation plant.

They have been joined by strikers in Grangemouth, in central Scotland, Aberthaw, in South Wales, and Teesside.

Around 700 workers at the Grangemouth Oil Refinery walked out this morning in solidarity with the Lincolnshire strikers.

Another 40 are also outside Aberthaw Power Station while 400 demonstrators are now involved in a protest at all four gates of the former ICI complex at Wilton on Teesside.

Joint leader of the Unite union, Derek Simpson, said: "You can understand the moral indignation as well as the industrial concern that people are expected to have skills, but be unemployed and watch foreign workers be employed who have got more privilege because they're not barred from these contracts.

"The only role that we have is to pay the electric bills from the power stations that they build. No-one can stand aside and say that that is any way justified."

In a statement, Total said: "We recognise the concerns of contractors but it is important to note that there will be no direct redundancies as a result of this contract being awarded.

"We have been a major local employer for 40 years and have always enjoyed a good relationship with our staff and contractors.

"We are disappointed they have taken this action and we hope the situation will be resolved as soon as possible and the contractors return to work."