Staveley Head: Will Wildcat Strikes Threaten Petrol Prices?

Market Wire, June, 2009

The wildcat strike, which followed the sacking of 650 contract construction workers at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire last week, is gathering momentum as other unofficial wildcat strikes spread across the country. As many as 4,000 contract workers at power stations and other oil and gas terminals around the country took part in the unofficial walkouts.

The Lindsey workers were sacked last week after taking part in an illegal and unofficial walkout in protest at 51 redundancies made by Total, the French company which owns the refinery. The angry protestors claimed that Total had unleashed a "monster" and said more sympathy strikes would follow.

A spokesman for Staveley Head, one of the UK's leading van insurance providers, said "A great many people may have sympathy with the strikers' cause, but there is universal concern at the manner in which they are endeavouring to rectify the situation. These wildcat strikes are illegal and are being carried on without Union approval or after following the endorsed Union procedures.

The other wildcat strikes in support of the Lindsey workers are also illegal and without Union approval, and there is concern that these current unofficial actions could take us back to the dark days of the 1970s when a handful of activists were able to bring the country virtually to a standstill."

The spokesman went on to say "The Union has accused Total of provoking the dispute and acting with deceit. There may well be a great deal of truth in their claims, but Total has at least appeared to act within the law. The morality of their actions may be questionable but the legality isn't. Our concern for the future is will there be an illegal picket line or blockade of petrol refineries and power stations?

Will petrol supplies from these refineries be cut off? Will petrol prices start to escalate at an even more alarming rate than they are at present? Most of our clients drive commercial vehicles for a living, and further threats to the price and supply of petrol and diesel will not relieve an already desperate situation for British businesses."

A spokesman for Gordon Brown said "Parties need to talk." Somewhat obvious and a conclusion that not even the average man in the street would take a great deal of time arriving at.

Total may be acting without morality, the protestors may be acting illegally, but the Government is once again displaying weakness and indecisiveness beyond credibility.

This dispute has the potential to draw the country back into the industrial dark-ages unless these illegal procedures are addressed immediately, and compromise discussions are implemented.

Staveley Head is one of the UK's leading van insurance brokers and will give you all the advice and assistance you need regarding this matter if you log onto their website at www.staveleyhead.co.uk . You can even take out cheap van insurance on line.

Contacts: Staveley Head Ashley Peters 0845 017 9991 Email: quotes@staveleyhead.co.uk Website: www.staveleyhead.co.uk