Refinery strikers vote on 50% deal

Feb 4 2009

Strikers who walked out in a bitter protest over the use of foreign labour are to be advised to end their wildcat action after unions were offered 50% of jobs to UK workers.

Staff from the Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Lincolnshire are to meet union officials on Thursday morning to vote on the proposal.

Stewards are recommending that those involved in the action go back to work.

Tony Ryan, from the strike committee, told hundreds of protesters at Total's Lindsey site that they had been given 102 new jobs for a minimum of nine weeks.

But union officials still had to discuss a couple of issues before the deal was finalised.

"We've made significant progress," Mr Ryan said.

"We've been offered what we went in for, really, which is 50/50.

He continued: "We've got to vote on what's been proposed."

Mr Ryan added: "The stewards' recommendation tomorrow will be for the lads to return to work."