Talks delayed over striking refinery building workers

Talks to end the bitter fall-out over the dismissal of 647 construction workers at the Lindsey oil refinery have been adjourned until Thursday.

Union leaders have demanded the reinstatement of sacked employees at the north Lincolnshire site as well as assurances that those who participated in the sympathy strikes would not be victimised.

Representatives of site owner Total will be at the meeting to observe.

Lindsey workers striking in February

The bitter dispute has rocked construction sites across the UK, with around 3,000 workers walking out in support of the sacked workers.

Staff at Lindsey initially withdrew their labour on 11 June in protest at a subcontractor axing 51 jobs while another was hiring new people. A little over a week later, Total announced that 647 construction workers had been sacked for participating in unofficial strikes.

Around 1,000 men protested outside the gates of the refinery on Tuesday, carrying signs that read “Total injustice” and “Say no to the death of the construction industry”.

The first meeting between unions and management since the sackings took place on Tuesday afternoon in London.

It is understood that representatives from a subcontractor named Jacobs, unions Unite and the GMB, and Total were at the talks.