Unite Union call on the Government to help secure the future of Lindsey Oil Refinery
The government has said their sympathies are with the workers, their families and the local community.
The Unite Union is calling on the Government to help secure the future of Lindsey Oil Refinery near Immingham - after it was confirmed a buyer for the site could not be found.
Since the administration was announced on 30 June, 200 tanker drivers in the supply chain have been told they will lose their jobs. It is crucial that no more jobs are lost either at Lindsey Refinery or from the supply chain of this critical piece of UK infrastructure.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Time is of the essence to ensure the future of the site is secured and workers are fully protected.
“Ministers have taken steps to get across the situation after the administration of the refinery, which is critical national infrastructure, was announced. But the long term future of Lindsey which supports hundreds of jobs needs to be delivered in days not weeks.
“This should also be a reminder for the government that it needs a sustainable long-term plan to fully protect all oil and gas workers. Its current policies are putting the industry on a cliff edge and needlessly risking thousands of jobs.”
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:
“We are deeply disappointed with the untenable position in which the owners left Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery.
“As a result, after a thorough process to determine whether a sale was possible, no credible offers have been made to purchase the entire refinery and it will be winding down operations, while the Official Receiver continues to pursue interest in individual assets.
“Our sympathies are with the workers, their families and the local community. While we continue to strongly encourage the owners to do the decent thing and publicly commit to making a voluntary financial contribution to support workers, all those directly employed at the refinery are guaranteed jobs over the coming months.
“The government will immediately fund a comprehensive Training Guarantee for these refinery workers to ensure they have the skills they need and are supported to find jobs in the growing clean energy workforce.”