Oil refinery workers protest pay cut

Oil refinery workers have staged protests over proposed dramatic wage cuts.

Around 200 building workers at Total and Conoco oil refineries in North East Lincolnshire have demonstrated outside the buildings.

Unite the union claims that the protests have been sparked by plans by Balfour Beatty and other construction companies, which have contracts with the refineries, to dismiss and re-hire staff on new contracts.

This move will see skilled workers being re-graded as semi-skilled in the mechanical and electrical sector, causing a loss in pay of up to 30 per cent.

None of the companies involved have commented on the protests, but Unite claims they were given a choice by five of the eight firms to either sign the new contracts by December 7th or face dismissal.

"Construction workers cannot afford to lose a third of their income. They have families to support and mortgages to pay," said Unite regional officer Chris Weldon.

 "The companies ... are profitable. Their directors are receiving huge pay rises, yet they expect their highly skilled workforce to take swingeing pay cuts."