London - Demonstrators at an oil refinery in Britain voted Thursday to return to work after a week of wildcat strikes over the recruitment of foreign specialists employed by an Italian contractor.

Workers approved a deal reached Wednesday between unions and the energy company Total, which owns the Lindsey refinery in the eastern county of Lincolnshire.

Under the agreement, 102 new jobs will be provided for British workers in addition to posts awarded to Italian and Portuguese construction workers on a building project which will run until the end of May.

None of the foreign workers already hired by the Italian contractor, IREM, would lose their jobs or have to return home, union officials said.

The unofficial strikes spread to some 20 other sites in Britain at the end of last week. (dpa)