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400
construction workers fight lock-out at BP Saltend, Hull
400 engineering construction workers
have been locked out from work since 14 March at BP Saltend near Hull.
Arriving for work on Monday, they were told by managers that their
company Redhalls had had their contract terminated by Vivergo who run
the new bio-ethanol plant.
Two weeks ago, these same workers
took unofficial strike action and blockaded the BP site gates to win a
victory forcing Redhalls to abide by the national industry agreement
over redundancy procedures.
This time police were there in force
which means that the company must have tipped them off. And a prepared
letter handed to workers urged them to �go home peacefully �. and
return the next day ready for work.�
Workers returned on Tuesday to be
told they were locked out. Electricians and scaffolders working for
two other contractors have been stood down and will be paid 38 hours
this week as per the Blue Book. But Redhalls workers have been
promised nothing and will only be paid 38 hours for last weeks 46
hours of work!
Vivergo, which is majority owned by
BP, issued a statement saying they had cancelled the mechanical and
piping works contract because the works "should have been completed by
February 2011".
The statement went on to say those
works were "only 69% complete" and the construction site at Saltend
had been closed for a period of assessment. It is not clear whether
they want to mothball the project or get in new contractors.
But either way this is a lock-out
and tearing up the national agreement. If the bosses can get away with
this here, then they will try it everywhere. This dispute is as
important as the Lindsey Oil Refinery (LOR) strikes in 2009.
Redhalls� workers have set up a
strike committee including LOR strike leader Keith Gibson. Plans have
been made to protest against Vivergo and Redhalls and if the workers
are not quickly re-instated with all monies owing, then a call will be
made for a national walk-out by NAECI construction workers.
Messages of support to Keith Gibson:
[email protected] or 07743135183 |
