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ARCHIVE
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22/06/2009
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The sacking of hundreds of refinery workers at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire is a challenge to the whole trade union movement. Oil giant Total showed utter contempt for its workforce as it rushed to dismiss workers using Margaret Thatcher's anti-trade union laws.
Thankfully construction workers, up and own the country, have risen to the challenge with hundreds involved in walkouts at sites from Sellafield to Teeside, and from Cheshire to south Wales. Defiant workers at the Lindsey refinery burnt their dismissal papers and vowed to fight for every job.
Gordon Brown continues to sit on the fence saying, "This is a matter between the management and workers.” Yet perhaps if New Labour, after 12 years in office, had repealed a single one the Tory anti-trade union laws we would not now be in this position.
Meanwhile, Respect MP George Galloway threw his support behind the strikers saying, "Everyone who cares about defending working people from the hurricane of economic devastation unleashed by the free market follies of the last 30 years should get behind the workforce at Total.”
Referring to the fact that some in the media have tried to present this strike, and one earlier in the year, as being directed against other workers from Europe rather than the actions of the Total management, Galloway added, "The corporate media has every interest in distorting what is at stake and besmirching the intentions of these unionised construction workers. Forces on the right in society do the same for different reasons.
"Those on the left, in a trade union or in a workplace threatened by job losses or pay cuts should recognise what is at issue: the ability of working people to organise to defend their conditions and fight for some dignity.
"That's true whatever your country of origin, colour of skin, or religious observance.
"The unions concerned have done and excellent job in demonstrating that. Now the whole labour movement needs to act to ensure that a greedy multinational does not get away with breaking commitments wrung from it earlier this year and pioneering an onslaught against working people in this country."
Respect urges it's supporters to do all they can to support the workers at Lindsey.