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Refinery workers vote to end strike

Refinery workers at the Lindsey oil refinery have voted to accept a deal which will see them return to work.

At a meeting this morning union officials were joined by hundreds of workers to vote on the deal which was thrashed out last week.

Workers have been on unofficial strike since June 11th, with thousands of workers around the country walking out in support of the Total-run Lindsey oil refinery workers. The strike was sparked when 51 jobs were cut, with workers going on unofficial strike in protest. A further 647 workers were then sacked.

The BBC reports the GMB union's shop steward, Kenny Ward, as saying to worker's this morning: "In my opinion, we have achieved an unprecedented victory not just for us but on a legal front as well so I recommend and we recommend as the shop stewards committee that you vote 'yes' and we return to work."

The unions have also said they have won a guarantee of "no victimisation" of workers across the country who followed suit with sympathy action. They say they have also achieved objectives of finding jobs for the 51 workers whose jobs were cut, as well as withdrawing dismissal notices for the workers who went out on unofficial protest.

In the bitter disputes which have gone on for some weeks now, workers have walked out at power stations including Saltend and Ratcliffe.

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