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Oil workers vote to strike to defend Unite official Stevie Deans

Huge support for walkout over bosses' attack on Unite convenor

Oil workers at the giant Grangemouth refinery have dealt a stunning ballot blow to bosses hoping to turf out popular Unite union convenor Stevie Deans.

Union members delivered an 81 per cent vote for a strike that would knock out 30 per cent of North Sea oil supplies.

A massive 86 per cent of members voted to give their verdict on an internal probe ordered by bosses at Ineos Petrochemicals.

In all 90.6 per cent backed action short of a strike unless managers call off company investigators ordered to sift through Mr Deans's computer records and files.

The ballot surrounds claims of management victimisation of Mr Deans following his suspension as Falkirk Labour chair over claims surrounding the recruitment of new members.

Both party and police investigations subsequently cleared him of any wrongdoing.

But Ineos bosses say that they want to see if the Unite man, who was instrumental in the 2008 two-day strike over pensions that shut the massive oil plant, has breached company policy.

The union has accused them of victimising a key workplace organiser. The company has said it will decide on Mr Deans's case and punishment on October 25.

Ineos lawyers also threatened a libel lawsuit this week after the union described the workplace in a press release as tarnished with a "culture of fear."

The company's chairman Calum MacLean has publicly rejected the claim as "untrue and defamatory."

But a source at the refinery who did not wish to be named for fear of persecution said heavy-handed tactics were typical at Grangemouth.

"They've threatened people with short-term job losses, which they've said is if the result comes back in (favour).

"That's what managers have said - they've had meetings, they've sent letters to my house. It's been relentless," they said.

There had been an "anxious" atmosphere this week as the workforce awaited the ballot result, they added.

But the strength of support seen in todays result was "unbelievable."

Unite Scottish regional secretary Pat Rafferty said: "This overwhelming result reflects the genuine ill-feeling held by the Grangemouth workforce because of the grossly unfair treatment of Stephen Deans who has 24 years of loyal service at the site.

"They know an attack against one is an attack against all."

The firm's press office declined to comment on the source's allegations, the ballot result or the libel suit.

Mr MacLean said his company would "not be bullied by the union's behaviour."

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