The Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Killingholme, North Lincolnshire, is set to lay off 125 employees, representing nearly one-third of its workforce. This decision follows the refinery’s takeover by the Insolvency Service in June, after its previous owner, Prax Group, entered into administration. Currently, 255 workers remain at the site.
According to the Insolvency Service, this decision to proceed with redundancies was made after a comprehensive review of the business’s situation. They assured that all employees affected by these layoffs would receive support through the Redundancy Payments Service. The official receiver indicated that while the refinery remains safe, efforts are ongoing to secure a buyer for the facility.
The Unite union has expressed concerns regarding the redundancies, stating that the government is accountable for the situation and could have provided necessary support to sustain refinery operations. Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, emphasized that there were at least two potential bids to keep the site operational and maintain the current workforce.
She criticized the government’s handling of the situation, stating that it undermines promises made to protect jobs and progress toward net-zero goals. Unite has highlighted that redundancy notices were issued prior to the consideration of job-focused bids, which raises questions about the government’s commitment to worker protection.
An ongoing investigation by the Insolvency Service is reviewing the conduct of the company and its directors following Prax’s liquidation. This situation underscores the challenges faced by the refinery and its employees in the wake of financial difficulties.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg6e78rme2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss