Construction workers strike at power plants over local labour

A wildcat strike by construction workers at a gas terminal in West Wales has spread across the country.

The GMB union said the dispute started with 50 laggers walking out at South Hook Liquified Natural Gas terminal in Milford Haven. They are believed to be unhappy with contractor Hertel UK refusing to meet a standard agreement to offer local workers priority in stage two lagging work.

The terminal was officially opened by the Queen only a week ago.

Workers have come out in sympathy at other refineries and power plants in the Vale of Glamorgan, Lincolnshire and Widnes.

Hertel managing director David Fitzsimons, said: “For this particular project we have looked to employ local labour. However, despite our efforts we were unable to source skilled people for the start of the project.

“As a result, we subcontracted the works to a third party which also employs non-UK labour and was also engaged on phase 1 of this project in 2008. Hertel and our subcontractors comply with all the requirements of the National Association of Engineering Construction Industry national agreement framework on terms and conditions for workers.

“This is a short term project and our involvement will be for approximately three months. We have agreed with union officials that we will hire local skilled personnel once they are identified.
 
“I regret that this situation has escalated. We understand people’s concerns and we have engaged in detailed discussions with trade union national officials and local representatives.”

Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: "We understand that an agreement to give work on these large projects to local labour has been breached.

"There is widespread anger and outrage at repeated attempts in different projects around the country to exclude local people from job opportunities on these projects. The political spotlight needs to be turned on these companies so that discriminatory employment practices cease immediately.

"People are at end of their tether and patience with the clients who engage these subcontractors."

Other workers understood to have come out in sympathy for the Milford Haven workers so far include:

• Laggers and thermal insulation engineers at Aberthaw power station in the Vale of Glamorgan.
• Some workers at Dragon LNG site, a few miles away from the South Hook site in Milford Haven.
• Subcontractors at the Fiddlers Ferry power station in Widnes.
• A number of contractors at the ConocoPhillips Humber refinery in North Lincolnshire, next to the Total Lindsey Refinery which was the flashpoint of strikes earlier this year.