Jun. 22, 2009 (United Press International) -- Some 2,000 workers in British refineries, gas plants and nuclear sites skipped work Monday to support 650 contractors dismissed last week by Total.
On Monday, the dismissed workers formed a picket line around the French oil giant's refinery in Lincolnshire in the east of England, and some burned their dismissal letters, The Times of London reported.
Total had dismissed the contractors because they went on strike when they weren't offered new work at the refinery in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, after job cuts, the Times reported.
Contract workers must be given a chance to apply for new work at the same site after their job ends, under a union deal known as the National Agreement, The Times said.
Britain has had no disruption to its energy supply because those on strike work as contractors or support staff and don't operate power plants, The Times said. But the newspaper reported fears that walkouts would spread.
About 300 contract maintenance workers walked out of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) Humber refinery, and 100 employees at E.On's Ratcliffe plant in Nottinghamshire also supported the Lindsey workers with a work stoppage, The Times said.
The Telegraph of London reported Monday that Total has refused to negotiate until the contractors return to work.
