Sacked Lindsey oil refinery workers will not reapply for their jobs but have said they will burn their dismissal papers as they continue their protests and encourage further wildcat strike action.
The union now representing the 647 strikes who were sacked on Thursday evening for conducting a week of unofficial strikes have said the workers are unlikely to meet Total’s deadline to reapply for their jobs by 5pm today.
The GMB union said the workers would continue to hold protests at the plant today and tomorrow and will burn their dismissal papers in protest.
Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB, said: “The GMB is not walking away from the disgraceful and outrageous behaviour of Total. Total would not even consider treating its French workers in this way.
“We will support the locked-out and victimised workers and will demonstrate our support with peaceful and lawful protests.”
On Friday over 2,000 factory workers from over 17 different plants joined the strikes in sympathy.
Total was set to meet representatives of the conciliation service Acas on Friday but cancelled the meeting.
There are fears that the wave of wildcat strikes at power stations across the country could lead to a power blackout.
