Canteen workers employed by Compass Group at ExxonMobil’s Fawley complex in the UK are due to strike, UK union Unite revealed in a statement sent to Rigzone recently.
“Fawley workers will be famished when the oil refinery’s canteen staff strike over poverty pay,” Unite noted in the statement.
“The predominantly female workers, employed by catering outsourcer Compass, are paid only slightly more than the minimum wage,” it added.
“They are demanding a pay rise that reflects the rising cost of living and ensures the gap between their wages and the absolute legal minimum does not shrink,” it continued.
Unite revealed in the statement that the workers will strike from 25 to 28 July and from 1 to 4 August. Canteen and food services across the refinery will not be available during the strikes, Unite noted, adding that industrial action will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.
In the statement, Unite said London based Compass Group is the world’s largest catering provider and noted that it “raked in nearly GBP 1.2 billion ($1.61 billion) in operating profits in the six months to March 2025 – an increase of 11.6 percent”.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said in the statement, “the Fawley canteen workers have their union’s full support in taking strike action for as long as necessary”.
Unite Regional Officer Rebecca Johns-Lawrence added, “there is still time to avoid industrial action but that will require the company putting forward an acceptable offer”.
Rigzone contacted Compass Group and ExxonMobil for comment on Unite’s statement.
In response, an ExxonMobil spokesperson told Rigzone, “we do not believe such actions are in anyone’s interest”.
“We encourage employers and representatives to work together constructively to reach a resolution as quickly as possible. We have taken contingencies to ensure onsite personnel are not impacted,” the spokesperson added.
ExxonMobil also directed Rigzone to Bram Frankhuijzen, EMEA Procurement Director at CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) EMEA, in its response, describing him as the staff’s employer. Rigzone has contacted Frankhuijzen for comment on Unite’s statement.
At the time of writing, Compass Group and Frankhuijzen have not responded to Rigzone.
ExxonMobil Fawley is the UK’s largest integrated petrochemical complex, producing a range of energy products, lubricants, and chemicals, a brochure on Fawley hosted on ExxonMobil’s website states.
Fawley opened in 1951 and supports over 2,000 supply chain companies, according to a fact sheet on the complex available on Exxon’s site, which notes that “more than 2,500 staff and valued contractors work at ExxonMobil Fawley”. The site produces around 650,000 tons of petrochemical products annually, refines 270,000 barrels of oil every day, and covers 3,250 acres, the fact sheet outlines.
In a statement posted on ExxonMobil’s site in March 2025, the company said its “transformation in the UK continues with a reorganization of our business and the centralization of the majority of employees to our Fawley facility”.
“We plan to bring the vast majority of our Leatherhead, Surrey, office and home-based employees together to our Fawley Petrochemical Complex,” it added.
“Centralizing our people in a primary location will allow for even greater collaboration, enhance teamwork, and provide broader career opportunities,” it continued.
“We also looked at where and how we work and identified several areas where we can capture efficiencies to deliver greater value to our shareholders,” it went on to state.
Exxon warned in that statement that this series of changes will result in fewer UK located positions.
“We anticipate that approximately 250 positions will be impacted by the end of 2026,” it said in the statement.
“The UK is an important country for ExxonMobil. We are investing in strong businesses, including growing our London Trading hub and revitalizing our Fawley Petrochemical Complex. We will continue to have a meaningful presence in the country,” it added.
Unite describes itself as the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay, and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. ExxonMobil describes itself as one of the largest publicly traded international oil and gas companies. Compass Group provides “great food and support services to millions of people around the world every day”, the company’s website states. It operates in around 30 countries, with 580,000 employees worldwide, according to its site.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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