BP/SALTEND:

SOLIDARITY ACTION BUILDS FOR LOCKED-OUT WORKERS

3 May

The 400 Redhall construction workers, locked-out for 2 months by BP/Vivergo from the bio-ethanol plant at Saltend, Hull, received two big boosts to their campaign for reinstatement last week.

On Tuesday 26th April, the scaffolders and electricians, employed by contractors for Vivergo, voted by about 90% to walk out again in support of the locked out Redhall workers. This act of solidarity sends a clear message to BP/Vivergo that they cannot divide and rule. So if any scaff or spark is sacked as a result of their stand, construction workers around the country must be asked for solidarity strike action. With the scaffs & electricians joining the protest, now is the time for the repair & maintenance workers at BP to re-join the action and bring this dispute to a head. All trade union members should boycott the site until the Redhall workers are guaranteed re-employment with TUPE rights.

The next day, Wednesday 27th April, the industry national shop stewards forum, unanimously agreed to call for a national day of action if no settlement is reached in this dispute by the time of the next stewards forum which will be held on May 9/10. Stewards agreed to organise levies and collections to finance the hardship fund. Redhall workers should visit NAECI sites over the next week with explanatory leaflets appealing for support so that a national day of action, which needs to be a one day national strike, is called as soon as possible from the next stewards forum.

Later that day, another meeting was held with Vivergo at their request. Despite the Redhall workers� rejection of their �1million pay-off, Vivergo were still not prepared to talk about jobs. In fact one of the bosses actually said �Redhalls employees do not fit into my business plan.� This is the clearest admission yet that BP/Vivergo ended the Redhall contract to get rid of what they regard as a militant workforce, to break the trade unions and to be able to pick and choose who they take back.

Vivergo need to understand that there is no business plan without the Redhall workers because no union members will take their jobs or work with scab labour. The Redhall workers are not interested in selling their jobs. They are fighting for re-employment on TUPE terms and conditions and protecting the NAECI national agreement.