Talks start to end wildcat strikes

UNION mediators and business leaders are to discuss how to put an end to the dispute over overseas workers at the Lindsey oil refinery in North Lincolnshire.

It’s hoped that talks between Acas and petrochemicals giant Total will stop the so-called ‘wildcat strikes’ that have hit refineries, processing plants and power stations up and down the country over the use of foreign labour at the Total owned refinery.

Walk-outs hit a number of regional operations including BP’s Dimlington gas terminal in East Yorkshire and its chemical manufacturing plant in Saltend near Hull.

Teesside also saw action as did parts of Scotland, South Wales and Cheshire.

News of the talks come as Business Secretary Lord Mandelson urges workers planning further action to put an end to their protests.

Meanwhile, the Government has said that it might challenge EU law to stop cheap overseas labour undercutting the UK’s workfoce.

However, changing EU law would need approval from other EU member states – a process that could take years.

Total has denied any wrong-doing saying that the tendering process for a £200m contract to build a new unit at Lindsey had been fair.

It said there would be no “direct redundancies” as a result of handing the contract to Italian firm IREM, which will pay its 300 employees the same as existing contractors on the project.