Wildcat strike in Hartlepool

Hundreds of workers walked out in the morning of 12 October at an offshore construction yard in a dispute over union recognition.

Submitted by Steven. on October 13, 2009

The Peterlee mail reported that workers want Unite to be given official recognition at the Heerema site in Greenland Road, in Hartlepool, but talks are believed to have stalled in the last few weeks.

That led to tradesmen calling a wildcat strike this morning with an estimated 200 workers standing outside the gates of the site.

The Mail reported how 40 pipe-fitters and riggers had held similar action at the beginning of last week in connection with the same dispute.

Workers want Unite to be recognised alongside the GMB as an officially recognised union at Heerema.

One picketing worker, who did not want to be named, said: "All we want is Unite to be recognised so they can take part in pay talks and we don't see why that can't happen.

"We didn't want it to come to this but it has and it's good that 200 men are standing together on this.

"So far this is only one day of action and we will wait and see what takes place after this."

Heerema today told the Mail it could not comment on the matter.

Heerema is a Dutch-owned company which had a core team. It increased that by around 280 more staff when it won new contracts.The firm designs and constructs offshore facilities for the global oil and gas industry.

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