Infrastructure schemes hit by protest action about claims that British workers are being denied UK jobs
Construction workers on large infrastructure projects across the country have been protesting over the weekend amid fears that UK workers are being denied the right to work.
The protests stem from a contract to extend a Total oil refinery in Lincolnshire awarded to US engineer Jacobs. The firm subcontracted Italian firm Irem to perform £200m of works using its own Italian and Portuguese workers.
Construction workers downed tools at the Lincolnshire site at the end of last week in protest at the use of foreign labour, and energy workers up and down the country have followed suit in a series of wildcat strikes and organised protests that are expected to last well into next week.
The strikes are particularly embarrassing for the prime minister, Gordon Brown, as many protestors have printed banners quoting his 2007 remark that he would provide “British jobs for British workers”.
Under EU law, foreign companies are perfectly entitled to employ workers from their own countries, but union officials have claimed that UK workers were denied the right to apply for the same jobs.Construction workers strike over foreign labour
Infrastructure schemes across the country hit by protest action about claims that British workers denied right to apply for jobs
Construction workers on large infrastructure projects across the country have been protesting over the weekend amid fears that UK workers are being denied the right to work.
The protests stem from a contract to extend a Total oil refinery in Lincolnshire awarded to US engineer Jacobs. The firm subcontracted Italian firm Irem to perform £200m of works using its own Italian and Portuguese workers.
Construction workers downed tools at the Lincolnshire site at the end of last week in protest at the use of foreign labour, and energy workers up and down the country have followed suit in a series of wildcat strikes and organised protests that are expected to last well into next week.
The strikes are particularly embarrassing for the prime minister, Gordon Brown, as many protestors have printed banners quoting his 2007 remark that he would provide “British jobs for British workers”.
Under EU law, foreign companies are perfectly entitled to employ workers from their own countries, but union officials have claimed that UK workers were denied the right to apply for the same jobs.
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