"WE ARE being treated like animals!"
These are the words of a scaffolder at Total Lindsey Oil Refinery who is one of many who have apparently walked off site after a dispute over the supply of water during the hot weather.
A protest meeting was held yesterday morning with their union GMB/Unite discussing how to resolve the problem of water supply. Drinking stations were decommissioned six months ago due to vandalism, and alleged incidents of workers urinating in them.
The contractors at the North Killingholme site believe there are 150 other workers protesting. The contractors are being supplied with bottled water from their employers, but say this is not enough.
"We are working in really hot temperatures in over 50 degrees heat and wear a hard hat, harness and big fire proof overalls," said a scaffolder at the protest.
"They treat us like we're the little man and I think it's because they don't want us to have a break to get water."
Another worker described it as "prison".
He said: "We have to stay on site for four hours and work really hard.
"We only have a small bottle of water – it is not enough to last.
"We're sweating beyond belief and the water has been off for six months.
"But this extremely hot weather has really escalated the situation and made it feel ten times hotter."
A 27-year-old scaffolder from Grimsby added: "I have been working here for two months now and in this weather it has been really bad because there isn't enough water.
"They won't switch the water fountains on because they are worried about contamination apparently.
"It is boiling working on the refinery with all your gear on and we need more water."
The protest has not affected production at the refinery.
Head of HR at Total, Bob Emmerson, said: "We've changed the way the water is provided, the stations have been decommissioned due to vandalism.
"We don't know who vandalised the water fountains.
"Workers now bring in personal flasks and they are supplied bottles from contractors.
"If they want more bottles then it will be allowed.
"The issue is with a small number of workers who don't like the new system.
"A worker has put one of the fountains back on."
Nobody from the union was available for comment.
