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Brown's 'jobs for Britain' row
Joe Murphy and Paul Waugh30 Jan 2009
A wave of Seventies-style wildcat strikes broke out across Britain today in protest at foreign workers taking jobs.
More than 1,000 employees downed tools at power plants and oil and gas refineries in
England, Scotland and Wales.
The unofficial walk-outs were triggered by anger over a major construction contract at a Lincolnshire refinery being awarded to an Italian firm that promptly imported Italian and Portuguese people to do the job.
A crowd of hundreds outside the Total oil refinery in Lindsey were told by shop steward Kenny Ward: “I'm a victim, you are a victim, there are thousands in this country that are victims to this discrimination, this victimisation of the British worker.”
The plant gave a £200 million deal to Italy's IREM after two British firms lost in the bidding. The Italians said the contract required specialised workers.
Sympathy protests spread with a speed that echoed the fuel protests of 2000, though pickets have so far not tried to stop production.
The uproar was a blow to Gordon Brown, whose pledge of “British jobs for British workers” was denounced by trade union leaders as hollow.
They said the reality was that Britons were suffering “discrimination” and being “victimised” by employers importing foreign labour.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn admitted that the British workers were “entitled to an answer”.
Speaking at the Davos economic summit, the Prime Minister said: “I understand people's worries about their jobs and I understand people's anxieties about employment across the country.”
But he warned against protectionist policies to save domestic jobs, adding: “There's no solution to this crisis in abandoning globalisation.”
Downing Street said the Total contract was awarded “some time ago” when there were labour shortages.
It promised to meet the industry in the next few days “to make sure they are doing all that they can to support the UK economy”. But a spokesman was unable to specify anything that the industry was doing wrong.
The protests were a shot in the arm for union leaders, led by the Unite union's Derek Simpson, who said Britons were “barred” from employment at the sites even though their power bills ultimately paid for the plants to run.
“You can understand the moral indignation as well as the industrial concern that people are expected to have skills, but be unemployed and watch foreign workers who have got more privilege because they're not barred from these contracts,” he said.
In a statement, Total said it “recognised” the concerns of contract workers but that it had awarded the contract fairly.
Godfrey Bloom, UK Independence Party MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, said: “It defies belief that, with unemployment pushing to the three million mark, we are bringing in foreign workers to do a job that many British firms could tackle.”
Shona McIsaac, Labour MP for Cleethorpes in North Lincolnshire, said the importing of foreign labour was “like a red rag to a bull for people in our community who are out of work and who have skills that could be used in this construction project”.
About 100 Italian and Portuguese workers are on the Lincolnshire site, with 300 arriving next month. They had their own accommodation blocks in barges in Grimsby docks.
Protesters outside the refinery waved placards reading “Right to Work UK Workers” and “In the wise words of Gordon Brown — UK Jobs for British Workers”.
At the giant Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland, hundreds walked out in sympathy. Regional Unite officer Bobby Buirds said: “The argument is not against foreign workers, it's against foreign companies discriminating against British labour.”
Reader views (47)
It's happening in care work too. I just took a break from caring for an lady with dementia...And when i came back i have been replaced with a South Africa woman aged 69 who gets a pension here and also one in South Africa...I have my own car and all the qualifications. She says after 6 months she go home taking all this money she has saved and wont pay tax....She showed my 4 cheques from her last job ...So now im forced to sign on for JSA..Its a disgrace that this is being allowed to happen..And im not racist as i have a husband who not EU and im finding it impossible to pay for his visa application ....
- Anne Smith, Asbourne Derbyshire, 12/10/2010 13:46
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The question that we all should be asking is - where the heck all these jobs are going, discounting hiring of the Italian or workers from other countries for a moment, the number of job cuts is alramingly high, while the bosses are getting bonuses, workers are getting the boot. It's Mrs. Thatcher and her rightful children Blair and Brown who designed and implemented this anti-people pro-rich model of economy. We ordinary Brits (people living in the UK, not white brits only) need to have the ultimate say over our economy. JOBS FOR ALL BRITS.
- Mark Simpson, Birmingham, UK, 02/02/2009 11:00
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For mr McBroon to now pretend his slogan "British jobs for British workers " now means something different to what it says is downright deceitful. Even his natural supporters must now realise the man can not be trusted.He seems to try and take the electorate for fools.He ,his cabinet and MPs will try any and everything to save their skins .They are no longer genuinely concerned as to what is best for the Country but mereley what is best to try and improve their tarnished image and hang on to their seats.
- Ian Glen., Durham. England., 02/02/2009 10:39
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Our families endured and fought through two world wars in order to secure the peace and prosperity of their families, Then along come Blair and now Brown with their thirst for world power, and in the process decided to over-expand public indebtedness and dilute by various means the British workforce and its potential. Time they were made to pay for their disastrous mistakes.
- Robert El-Cid,, Hull, East Yorks.,, 02/02/2009 10:07
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Out of the EU now! Suzy can stay!
- Archie, Thrapston, England, 02/02/2009 06:31
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It doesn't seem right that this company's work and workers may become insulated and isolated from the broader context of the local community which they are in fact part of. In my view what's needed is a decent "raising a concerns" policy which may be used to find time and space for all concerned to consider how this company might fullfill it's responsibility to society. But which society? Which local community/ society/ environment and economy is most important to this company, given it's position here in the UK; and how can those concerned make a difference to the situation which benefits all stakeholders, including local workers in the local community more equally?
- Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley, Bacup, UK, 02/02/2009 01:32
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In response to Paulina Smid. I dont know what kind of 'British workers' to which you are referring. My entire family have spent their lives working themselves into an early grave to keep a roof over their head and food in their children's bellies. I can assure you, nobody that I have ever worked with, paints their nails, or checks their facebook account on their 'extended' lunchbreak.
The only reason other nationalities get hired 'over us' is because they will work for poorer wages and lower conditions and the underlying fact is that they come from countries which are much cheaper to live in and buy property in, to which they can ultimately retreat once they have milked the fat cow dry. To the large, foreign workers have little idea the amount of toil and tears that the 'lazy', 'nail painting', 'useless', people in this country have spent defending their employment rights over the last half century. But what a waste of time it all was, standing on those freezing cold picket lines, day in, day out.
Us Brits are not bad at sending our soldiers to the front line though are we? when all the NATO countries send a few 'representatives' to make it look good.
So a big congratulations, to you wonderful, un-elected Prime Minister who have destroyed this wonderful country. Roll on emigration..............
- Laura B,, London, UK, 02/02/2009 00:02
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Paulina, it sounds as if your experience of British workers is limited to people in a comfortable office (where presumably you were yourself).
The unemployed men at Lindsey are not office workers. They're used to hard graft with their hands, sometimes in uncomfortable conditions.
You might broaden your experience of British workers. Take a trip on a deep sea trawler, visit an oil rig, stand in front of a steelworks furnace, go down a mine, do a nightshift in any of a thousand factories. Tell those blokes they're useless.
I guarantee they won't be painting their fingernails!
- Mike, Cardiff U.K., 01/02/2009 23:27
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Based on my experience with British workers, the reason they don't get the jobs is simple - they're useless. So, Dear Brits, how about a little upgrade to your attitude to work? Most of you seem to think you're getting paid for spending 8 hours in the office. Sorry, but you ARE actually expected to work in those 8 hours. Instead, you make lots of private phone calls, paint your fingernails, extend your lunchbreak and read your facebook site. No wonder other nationalities get hired over you!
- Paulina Smid, London, UK, 01/02/2009 17:28
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phil jones should realise then that british workers are also "europeans" and are entitled to work as such -not be excluded by italian workers try getting an english ski instructor to work in france (appropriate at this time of the year) and you will find no-one other than french is allowed try setting up a business in spain wow!!
- old frt, ampuriabrava spain, 01/02/2009 15:47
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Now support the BNP.
- Cuddly Duddly, Cuffley, UK, 01/02/2009 14:48
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The end of capitalism and the rise of nationalism is upon us! God bless the Queen!
- Paddy Mac, Kilburn, London UK, 01/02/2009 13:22
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The British have been deceived about immigration by the government and the media. For long asylum seekers became synonymous with legal immigration. It should have been made clear to people that EU citizens have the same rights as the British and they can not be any distinction in the recruitment process. I agree that a company should seek to emply local people first, whether they are British or not. Legal immigration to the UK outside the EU now comes from the USA, Australia and India. There is almost nothing the UK can do as, especially in the case of the USA, these are company transfers and with Australia , they tend to have ancestry visas or 2 year visa, with India,-either through marriage or need skilled visas. The immigration bill going through parliament will do little to stop EU immigrationa nd the non-EU immigration, the people who they are making hard to get citizenship will simply go to Canada or Australai or New Zealand where citizenship is easy and they are more welcomed
- miguel vargas, London UK, 01/02/2009 09:59
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Back in the 1970's, I was involved in politics. I called for Britain to leave the EEC., I called for mass immigration to be stopped and I called for British jobs for British workers .... I was called a facsist ! and many of those sharing this opinion were trade unionists,
so my attitude is 'tough - get over it' !!!
- Kathy Doyle, London, 01/02/2009 09:09
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british workers and british people are being discriminated by their own government time for a change ,i am out of work because of foriegn workers and will vote for anybody but labour next time, which will come soon
- ian ashbourne, durham, 01/02/2009 06:37
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“There's no solution to this crisis in abandoning globalisation.”
In that case, let us have a much cheaper Prime Minister from Italy as well!
- Andy, Bangkok, Thailand, 31/01/2009 21:52
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EVERYBODY STRIKE - its the future
- Rob, Letchworth, 31/01/2009 20:59
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If Mr Price from Luton does not understand how this can be laid at Brown's door he should consider this.Brown made his foolish remark about British jobs/British voters as an appeal to jingoism....hoping to steal BNP support...couched in the duplicitous language he favours.He knew what he was doing and now he is gloriously hoist with his own petard.Take his remarks at face value and he is advocating a policy which he knows is impossible to realise.When I remember I thought Blair was the biggest liar in British politics........??
- p.doff, filey uk, 31/01/2009 20:53
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boy oh boy, the 3 main parties are in for a BIG surprise come election time! and that strange sound you can hear....it's chickens coming home to roost!
- gary, amersham, 31/01/2009 19:51
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I totally support the British workers and sympathise with their frustrations..outsourcing has almost destroyed the auto and other industries here thanks to NAFTA--and greed. And we share your same frustration as you at politicians who can't-or won't-get it
- Claire K, Michigan, USA, 31/01/2009 16:19
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Initially Brown appeared to make one of his only useful popular comments since he became our unelected PM. "British jobs for British workers".
Now even that was pointless due to the overbearing thousands of regulations the EU have made for us. God help us.
- Michael Waugh, Kensington, 31/01/2009 15:16
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Good for the protesters! They fully deserve support.
Free movement of workers within the EU is all very well, until it's realised that upping sticks to go abroad isn't a fair option for most working men - with family commitments, partners with jobs, kids in school, friendships, and the vital sense of belonging to local and national communities.
The men at Lindsey and elsewhere are in effect asking a reasonable, common-sense question. "Why are we, who live here with our ties and responsibilities, our roots here, our obligations as taxpayers and citizens, not being given the chance to work for these employers?"
I haven't yet read or heard a reasonable, common-sense answer to the question.
- Mike, Cardiff U.K., 31/01/2009 14:50
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I used to get really annoyed at French strikers when I lived in the UK .... but now I feel they have a few lessons to teach the Brits!
- Marianne, SW France, 31/01/2009 12:59
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Brown is such a two-face. "British jobs for the British" while Caroline Flint is talking about implementing the Lisbon Treaty, i.e. E.U. Constitution, in the U.K. before Ireland ratifies it. The Lisbon Treaty extends the political integration started by the Maastricht Treaty (the original Treaty On European Union), and is wholly against "British jobs for the British". Instead, it's for "European jobs for the Europeans". Maybe in these dismal economic times the British will finally wake up to the fact that their country is now the E.U., not the U.K.
- Phil Jones, London UK, 31/01/2009 12:14
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it sounded good at the time but the europeans have our goverment by the goollies, this is not france our farmers are not alwed to block the ports as they do.
- g scot, kirkby, 31/01/2009 12:09
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Suzy Essex- What blather! Many people did protest against the expansion of the EU and the employment and immigration rights that would be given to the citizens of new states. Very few listened and many of the left-liberal bigot brigade accused those protesting of racism and xenophobia, yes that old chestnut!
NuLiebour didn't listen because they have a very simple mantra; Britains is bad, the EU and all things foreign are great! Look at their track record, they have NEVER put the interests of Britain and her people first. That should be the No.1 priority of a British government, it shouldn't be buried at the bottom of the pile.
EU citizens are not foreigners? You buffoon! Ask the French and germans how they think about the British!
As for those that came here in the 50s from the West Inides and Caribbean; most of them came from British dependencies, they were more British than any continental European!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster, 31/01/2009 11:56
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This strike shows that the Unions are still living in cloud cuckoo land. This is all Union politics and nothing to do with jobs.Time for irresponsible Union leaders to be broken once and for all!
- Joe Rossiter, Swindon,, UK, 31/01/2009 11:36
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"- jc, se1" says "Brits go to work elsewhere - shall we stop that too."
Don't worry: if it suited the countries concerned, they'd VERY quickly stop them, EU "rules" or no!
He also says "making scapegoats out of foreign workers isn't going to solve anything." No, but it's a start. Of course our politicians - especially two-faced Brown are ultimately to blame.
Don't be Lib/Lab/Conned in the next election!
- Croyboy, Croydon, 31/01/2009 11:21
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The use of foriegn labour over british workers is more wide spread than many think!.I`ve been a hod carrier for 11 years and was laid off three weeks ago,the constuction industry is rife with cheaper foriegn workers and because of this us brits are suffering.There is no shortage of skilled and un skilled labour in this country, that is just an excuse for labour to bring more foriegners to our shores to work cheap,thus giving them more votes to stay in power!.Even though there is vast unemployment now in this country,labour will still leave the flood gates open for more to come here and take the jobs that should be given to our own people out of work.Gordon Brown you and your party are a disgrace hopefully will no longer be in power very soon!.I know who i will be voting for in the next election and it won`t be labour or the tories,time for a change!!!.
- andy, hertfordshire, 31/01/2009 10:38
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Not only the Britons were suffering “discrimination” and being “victimised” by employers importing foreign labour, but also the other nationals are also suffering in Middle East.
Discrimination and victimisation is internationl problem.There is no law against it, there is no protection to the employees. Even the Britiion employers are against the labour laws always, threating the imported worker. Even the work permit hold are the "civilised prisoner" in civilised counries.They are alway under the supervision of their employer.Working lenghty hours with minimum wages. Amazing life status.
Lot of workers are in supermarkets, securities and other field job are not saved. The Britions are not interested on such low paid jobs.But these hard workers are not get the proper and secure job contract. They are working on daily or week paid jobs.
Real estate field worker are also badly affected.Working without documents but regular tax payers without respect.Heiring and firing is common in such field.
So these employees are involved in uncivilised activities, whihc is against the community.
- M Amjad, London, 31/01/2009 06:20
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as Dave and Roz point out - in different ways - Brits go to work elsewhere - shall we stop that too. ~This is a safety valve of steam letting on - the issue isn't about the british workers -that is a mask for UK wide discontentment with the current situation.
mmm - its only going to get more scary for us - and making scapegoats out of foreign workers isn't going to solve anything. There are still jobs that the Brits won't do.
- jc, se1, 31/01/2009 00:14
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The one curious thing that the story fails to explain - and comments do not really get to the heart of - is that it is effectively impossible under EU law to offer jobs just to British people and it is also not possible to restrict procurement to the UK either - we have not "signed up to" or "agreed" EU laws. Any government which comes into power - of whatever stripe - is obliged to implement the EU laws in this area and is barred from changing them. Even a 630 - 0 vote to repeal them in the House of Commons is invalid as it is the EU which makes the laws in this area, not the democratically elected UK government. Many comment on the involvement of "Europe" without actually making that key point. It is clear that, when talking about "British jobs" the Prime Minister was ignorant of the laws of his own country, as indeed are most politicians now when they talk about changing things they are barred by law from changing, even if elected on a sweeping mandate to make the change.
- Damian Hockney, London, UK, 30/01/2009 23:04
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When we Brits are all on the dole, who will be paying your taxes Gordon? Not these immigrants, mostly cash in hand and sending all their earnings back home.
- Pat, Essex, 30/01/2009 21:36
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I do hope that someone from EU can be found to do Suzy's job so she can be laid off.
- Frank, ex-England, 30/01/2009 21:32
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I live in France where they are extremely parochial about who they will hire. I have a friend here who is a Class 1 HGV driver. Since the day he arrived here the French have consistently refused to give hime work..... why?.... because they would rather employ a blind one-armed French truck driver than an able-bodied Brit. Nuff said!
- Burton J Helling, LE HOMMET D'ARTHENAY, FRANCE, 30/01/2009 21:14
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Still not clear how this can be described as a Gordon Brown's row! Seems he gets blamed for everything from the weather to terrorist plots
- keith price, Luton, England, 30/01/2009 21:13
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Mmm I guess Crash Gordon's great immigrant policy of getting votes that way is coming to haunt him as well...
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 30/01/2009 21:06
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I am currently waiting to be layed off from a Canadian oil refinery, this is because Temporary foreign workers come in last and first out. This is the way it should be, I probably have worked with some of the Portuguese workers out here, great guys but we should hire Brits first, there is a hell of a lot of specialised workers coming back from places like Canada and Norway so lets take a more Canadian way of dealing with our work force. If we haven't got the experience train people.
- Dave, Hampshire, 30/01/2009 18:07
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If we want to get out of this recession we need to get our own people back working. They will in turn spend their earnings in the UK. Time for the UK population to boycott Total petrol.
- Richard, London, 30/01/2009 17:22
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They are not 'foreigners' but EU citizens, with every righ to live and work in any EU country. Just as Brits go to other countries in their droves to work. Why did British people not protest as vigorously when the Poles came over here in their thousands. Oh yes, there wasn't a 'credit crunch' then and..they did jobs we didn't want to do..just like the Afro-Caribbeans in the 50s...
- Suzy, Essex, 30/01/2009 17:19
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This labour government is so wrapped up in political correct EEU backside. Where else in Europe whould this be allowed to happen. The Tories and Liberals are just as silent as Trevor Phillips of the Race Relations Board. They have all failed the British working class people. Shame on you all. Come election day we should all vote out the three main parties and put in new parties thats non pc and will put British peoples intrest as a number one priority and serve us not us serving them.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 30/01/2009 16:24
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How about all those British companies that source part of their workload in India or China?Should they feel guilty as well?This is called Globalisation and it happens in every country in Europe, including Italy and Portugal. But, as usual, there is still people here with an old mentality that fights against the imminent change in our socities...
- Laura, London, UK, 30/01/2009 16:10
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Good for them. I support them 100%. I hope that this is just the start. In these times of financial melt down its disgraceful that foreign workers are being employed instead of British Labour.........Good Luck.
- Jonny, London, 30/01/2009 16:07
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The whole problem is that there is such economic disparity in the EU there will always be workers who are 'cheaper' - they're probably personally on a more lucrative contract than they'd be offered in their local economy and they probably have far, far lower mortgages to pay back home. Whilst 'on contract' they will be prepared to pile up in cramped accommodation, eat microwave food each night and not see their family because the money is worth so much to them for short stints. It's hardly fair on the indigenious workforce, which is compelled to pay things like extra council tax to cover the shortfall in Local Authority pension schemes.
The bank bail-outs should have brought a discount on every mortgage, then the UK workers could have offered to work for lower wages, too. The cost of living in the UK vs the quality of life is appalling.
Don't kid yourself that the Europeans don't strike on home-ground: just look at the French right now!
- Roz, Chamonix, France - if it really matters!, 30/01/2009 15:59
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Total's a French company anyway, isn't it? So perhaps French workers should be up in arms that they were not appointed to do the work?
- Mcw, London, 30/01/2009 15:44
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If the BNP had held a rally six months ago with members walking around with placards saying "British jobs for British people" they would probably have been arrested. Today we have members and even a spokesman for the union Unite doing exactly the same thing - notwithstanding that the Governement they support agreed to the EU rules that caused the foreign worker problem. Is this the defining moment, have the British woken from their slumber at last?
If this escalates as I think it may Mr Brown and his government may be signing on at the job centre before even they expected.
- Mark, Poole England, 30/01/2009 15:17
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Are these European (not foreign) workers unionised? Are they working for less that the British workers are prepared to work for...I suspect that the company has a better deal with the European workers in that they won't strike at the drop of a hat and they'll probably not demand such high salaries. Companies at the moment need to minimise costs as much as possible and there is a section of British workers who seriously overvalue their own self worth. I have no problem with what this company has done.
- Carl, London, 30/01/2009 15:00
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