Having worked at the Lindsey Oil Refinery at N. Killingholme many years ago, I take a particular interest in the current dispute there.My sympathy with these workers is real but I am less than happy with the way the unions involved seem to have badly missed the point.
It is not quite as portrayed that 'foreign workers are taking our jobs'.
My understanding is that this French owned company has simply taken the best bid for given contracts. The consequence is that Italian and Portuguese workers are now in place.
There are a number of angles required to put this matter into perspective.
1] European Union rules do not permit companies to only consider bids from British firms. I suspect that the penalties for not taking the best bid and adopting 'little Englander' attitudes would be severe.
2] Why are the trade unions not complaining about the mass influx of workers from the poorer EU nations which has been far more damaging to British workers than this relatively minor issue?
3] Gordon Brown's "British jobs for British workers" is just hot air and is undeliverable as long as we remain controlled by Brussels.
4] Uncontrolled immigration has contributed to this with workers from beyond the EU who have been let in because of Labour's laxness and EU rules, once again.
Clearly, British workers should be voting for the only party which will address the real issue - UKIP!
