LINDSEY oil workers must be furloughed until a buyer is found that preserves jobs and production at the site, Unite demanded today.

The refinery supported 420 directly employed workers plus a further 500 contract jobs and potentially thousands in the supply chain before it went into administration in June.

A total of 125 staff made redundant last month have worked their last day. The rest of the workforce faces redundancy notices as soon as December 31.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It would be a total dereliction of duty if the government allowed it to be dismantled with the loss of hundreds of jobs just so the official receiver can pay off super rich creditors.”

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “The Official Receiver continues to independently assess the potential bids for the future of the refinery and is now expecting a binding transaction to be reached in the coming weeks.

“While the majority of the workforce is being retained — the Official Receiver has confirmed there are no offers on the table that would see a return to refining operations in the near term to allow for all employees to be retained.”