The lessons from the Coryton Oil refinery dispute

A few months have passed now since we were heading down to Coryton and Basildon way almost every other day. The National Shops Stewards Network and the Socialist Party played a big role in mobilising quickly and effectively in the last few weeks of the dispute supporting workers but I thought I’d look at the lessons we can all learn from this dispute where ultimately the oil refinery is to close and many will loose their jobs. I feel personally this was not a dispute that was beyond winning. The union involved at the refinery Unite knew about the plans to sell off the refinery and turn it into a terminal way back in January of this year but sadly they sat on this hoping something would come up. This was hugely naive in my view as this Tory government isn’t interested in saving jobs for the economy you just have to look at what they are doing to the public sector at this very moment. Only months after we saw the Sparks successfully push back and defeat the big 6 Besna and JIB contracts wanting to drive down wages in the construction industry we see the Coryton dispute emerge as a chance for workers to again enact a defeat on the boss’s. Sadly it wasn’t to be on this occasion. I think much of the union officials were genuine and did want to win the dispute for the workers but many things stood out for me. I think in a phrase it was too little too late the action. Only in may was a meeting called to discuss what a be done to save the refinery. When the union itself had been sitting on this since January its not well enough frankly. The background to the dispute: Coryton is a major oil refinery on the Thames estuary in Essex. It refines about 20% of the region's fuel, and is a major supplier of aviation fuel for the south of England. The plant's parent company went into receivership in January and has been in the hands of Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) ever since. In May it came out that PWC was intending to sell the refinery to a front operation for the Shell Oil Company, whose plan is to dismantle the refinery and set up a terminal for the import and storage of refined fuel on the site. This would mean the end of about a thousand employees' and contractors' jobs. We always thought that to win workers must reach out to other workers at the other refineries around the country this was never successfully linked up. The Union seemed to be more focused on lobbying the department of Energy in London after the public meeting. Ok this was a grand idea to lobby but it didnt get to the heart of the real action needed to win. Another thing stood out to me was the fact that the convener on the site for the union had received his redundancy and had stepped down we found out on the day of the planned blockage of the tankers leaving the refinery. This action had a limited success but to win it needed to be done on a much larger nationwide scale. We as socialists always look to link up struggles and the Coryton wasn’t on its own on this there will be many more Coryton’s to come we felt and the need to link up with other refinery’s in the country was key to winning. Linking disputes and building solidarity is a big part of a Marxist and the NSSN played an important role in this. Coming away from the dispute and listening to the workers now without jobs there was appreciation of the likes of the NSSN and socialists and we were given special thanks for coming to support the workers. There was much criticism of the labour party and the union tops from some workers a sense of frustration with a too little too late strategy were felt. Much can be learnt from this dispute and I hope lessons are learnt for the future. Coryton oil refinery in Essex is closing, which will involve the loss of 800 jobs. This is a profit-making concern which has provided 20% of the supply of petrol and diesel in London and the south east. It is the only refinery in the south east. The government has no interest in this refinery as it is small fry and its decline has been relatively silent. But it accounts for the majority of the employment in Canvey Island and south Essex. It has been brought down by the debt and bankruptcy of its parent company. There are people working there who have lost pensions and are close to retirement age. Many will never find work again. There are also contractors there who are not included in the calculated 800 job losses and have also lost money. The government ignores this and the fact that it could be a profit-making concern again. All in this entire dispute was a quick one with us mobilising quickly and effectively as the NSSN. I think we can be proud of our intervention given our limited resources. We need to use disputes like this to build the NSSN and to build a bigger network of rank-and-file trade unionists willing to go beyond the confines of the law to defend workers in struggle. The thing that gives me confidence is the role the NSSN can play in this. Do check out http://www.shopstewards.net/ And on twitter @NSSN_anticuts for updates on workers in struggle and how to get involved.

100 turnout to support Corryton oil refinery workers at public meeting support their struggle

I've just returned from an excellent meeting hosted by the National Shops Stewards network in support of the Coryton oil refinery workers who are facing redundancy if a buyer doesn’t come in and save the site. I blogged about this the other day but the public meeting in Basildon which I have just returned from was well attended with over 100 in attendance from local residents, workers, councillors and trade unionists and socialists. A fighting militant mood for action was felt coming away from the meeting with a public demonstration called by unite and the NSSN tomorrow afternoon at 4 pm outside the department for energy and climate at Whitehall where unite will be meeting with the government and the minister for energy Unite are calling on people supporters trade unionists and all that can get along to show a big turnout to show we mean business in defending Corryton and its workers who will not only loose their jobs but it will loose their local area of south Essex millions if not billions in local revenue annually. This is not just 1000 odd workers lives at stake it’s their families, friends, and local communities too who will feel the knock on.
A linking up with otehr oil refinery's across teh country such as Grangemouth linsey etc will put huge pressure on the powers that be. Mass solidarity is needed to win. Coryton workers know they cannot win on their own and need our support as the organised labour movement.

Throughout the meeting parallels were made between the ex mining towns once the pits had closed the deprivation and the poverty of the areas they simply have never recovered. In the south east of England which is meant to be the hub of the country and its economy this could all unravel if we’re not careful and industry we have in this country could soon disappear completely to be outsourced abroad to a more competitive tender for the boss’s. We must say no and stand up to the government and the boss’s.

The sparks dispute which defeated the boss’s on proposed wage cuts will give workers confidence to take on these vicious boss’s and fill the spirit’s of workers to win and win and win again.

There is potential for this dispute to escalate and the NSSN and the socialist party will support the workers involved every step of the struggle. There is talk of unofficial action being discussed and possibly may happen sooner than we think. It is possible for there to be major disruption to fuel supplies across the country but this is something which will not be publicised as is not strictly legal but is certainly a option being considered to force this government of millionaires to listen. A government who today has granted a contract to Rolls Royce to build the next generation of nuclear submarines which is a huge huge waste of money estimating a cost of a billion pounds. Enough money to save these workers at Coryton their jobs and pay them a decent wage too.

Unfortunately at this meeting it became clear there were a few BNP supporters present and a vote was held to exclude them from the meeting. We must be clear the likes of the BNP and the EDL are no friends of the labour and trade union movement and must be opposed firmly wherever they are. They only look to divide us and drawn on the race card and the chair was right to call a democratic vote and then asking the racists to leave.

So this is the concern if disputes like Coryton are not won and a demoralisation sets in the likes of then are then able to come in and divide workers and use the immigration card which would not be helpful in the slightest. This is not a race issue of course but we must be aware some may look to use it as thus.

Again to remind anyone who can make it
Unite and the NSSN have jointly called a public demonstration tomorrow afternoon at 4 pm outside the Department of Energy and Climate to show solidarity with the workers and the unions looking to put the case for keeping Coryton open. Lets be frank this is just the start of this dispute with further attacks likely to come if not at Coryton then it will be elsewhere. The only way this government will listen to the workers is mass civil disobedience and direct action.
It is important for the NSSN to lend support to private sector struggles aswell as public sector disputes as these age all workers and we must unite the struggles. Unite will be publicising picket dates and dates of action very soon so do keep a eye on the NSSN and Unite pages on the internet if you can.

I am hopeful this campaign can be supported and seen through to a victory for the workers involved.

Solidarity