More than a third of workers at BP's 393,800 b/d Rotterdam refinery will minimise productivity this week in a work-to-rule action, trade union FNV told Argus.
This comes after BP failed to respond to an ultimatum from FNV by today's deadline. Workers have approved the work-to-rule, and although the time period of the action is undecided it will be this week.
The action means maintenance work being conducted on part of the refinery will be done more slowly. The work is affecting conversion units and started in late September. FNV director Egbert Schellenberg today confirmed it is ongoing and keeping at least the fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) offline. He said the crude distillation units (CDUs) are online but running at lower rates than normal because the conversion units are offline.
"Work will be done slower," Schellenberg said. "Tomorrow there will be an effect for the turnaround which is going on." He said around 300 of the refinery's 800 workers are taking part in the strikes. If BP continues to refuse the union's demands on pay, overtime and related issues then the next step will be action to slow down operation of the remainder of the refinery that is not under maintenance.
An FNV spokesman told Argus on 11 November that the ultimatum would expire in December, but Schellenberg today confirmed it expired today.
European oil refining is being hampered severely by strikes, partly reflecting workers seeking a larger share of the exceptional profits that companies have been reporting. Strikes immobilised all but one refinery in France in October, maintenance workers will strike for around 10 days in late November at ExxonMobil's 270,000 b/d Fawley refinery, the largest in the UK, and workers will strike on 18 November at Russian firm Lukoil's 320,000 b/d Priolo refinery, the largest in Italy.
