Last week 900 workers were sacked at the Lindsey Oil Refinery. The men were dismissed by the French oil giant, Total, because they were taking action to protest against the loss of 51 jobs. The sacked workers were told that they should re-apply for their jobs by today.
This morning, in an act of defiance, the sacked workers burnt their dismissal papers in a car park outside the refinery. Phil Whitehurst, of the GMB union, told the crowd…
“Let them show us how many want to go back in there crawling on their bellies for their jobs. We go out together, we go back together.”
Total have said that they’re “encouraged by the initial feedback our contract companies have received from their former workforces.”, but there’s good reason to believe that this is bullshit. The GMB is planning to stage a huge protest outside the refinery tomorrow and there is little sign that the deadlocked row will be broken. Sacked worker, Kenny Ward, told the meeting that the response around the UK now involved 19 different sites and 13,000 workers – hardly ‘encouraging’ news for Total.
Kenny went on to say…
“Would Total do the same in France? Absolutely not, because there wouldn’t be a tanker on its four wheels. They’d all be turned over on their sides, blockading every road to this refinery, because the French wouldn’t put up with it – all the French government, all the German government, all the Spanish, the Italians and every other government in the European Union. But our Government will!
Our Government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won’t.”
So far today there are sympathy strikes at the neighbouring Humber Refinery and at a gas terminal in Milford Haven, Wales. This is likely to spread. If you can get to a picket, go. If not, send messages of support via email – eminis[at]geminis.karoo.co.uk or text 07706 7 10041. If you’re able to organise a boycott or protest at your local Total garage then let Total know what you’re doing…
* TOTAL UK Limited Head Office, Watford: 00 44 (0)1923 694000
* TOTAL UK Service Stations Customer Services: 00 44 (0) 8457 346 222
* TOTAL UK Service Station Property Services: 00 44 (0) 1923 694000
* TOTAL UK Press Office: 00 44 (0) 870 241 4337
“Let them show us how many want to go back in there crawling on their bellies for their jobs. We go out together, we go back together.”
Total have said that they’re “encouraged by the initial feedback our contract companies have received from their former workforces.”, but there’s good reason to believe that this is bullshit. The GMB is planning to stage a huge protest outside the refinery tomorrow and there is little sign that the deadlocked row will be broken. Sacked worker, Kenny Ward, told the meeting that the response around the UK now involved 19 different sites and 13,000 workers – hardly ‘encouraging’ news for Total.
Kenny went on to say…
“Would Total do the same in France? Absolutely not, because there wouldn’t be a tanker on its four wheels. They’d all be turned over on their sides, blockading every road to this refinery, because the French wouldn’t put up with it – all the French government, all the German government, all the Spanish, the Italians and every other government in the European Union. But our Government will!
Our Government will be subservient to companies like this. But we won’t.”
So far today there are sympathy strikes at the neighbouring Humber Refinery and at a gas terminal in Milford Haven, Wales. This is likely to spread. If you can get to a picket, go. If not, send messages of support via email – eminis[at]geminis.karoo.co.uk or text 07706 7 10041. If you’re able to organise a boycott or protest at your local Total garage then let Total know what you’re doing…
* TOTAL UK Limited Head Office, Watford: 00 44 (0)1923 694000
* TOTAL UK Service Stations Customer Services: 00 44 (0) 8457 346 222
* TOTAL UK Service Station Property Services: 00 44 (0) 1923 694000
* TOTAL UK Press Office: 00 44 (0) 870 241 4337
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