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Brown criticises wildcat strikes Brown criticises wildcat strikes
(about 2 hours later)
Wildcat strikes are "not defensible", the prime minister has told those angry at the employment of foreign workers. Wildcat strikes are "not defensible", Gordon Brown has told those angry at the employment of foreign workers.
Hundreds of employees staged unofficial walkouts across the UK over the use of foreign staff at Lincolnshire refinery.Hundreds of employees staged unofficial walkouts across the UK over the use of foreign staff at Lincolnshire refinery.
Gordon Brown told the BBC's Politics Show he understood workers' worries, but spontaneous walkouts were "not the right thing to do". The PM told the BBC's Politics Show he understood workers' fears, but walkouts were "not the right thing to do".
Earlier, Lord Mandelson said protectionism could turn a recession into a depression. The Tories said they did not back strikes either but said Mr Brown's 2007 "British jobs for British workers" pledge had been exposed as "fiction".
"Sympathy strikes" spread across the country after workers walked out at the Lindsey Oil Refinery when owner Total gave a £200m contract to Italian firm IREM. You'll find that no government in history is doing more to try and find ways that we can help people who are unemployed back in to work as quickly as possible Gordon Brown PM says 'no clear map' for crisisMandelson warns on protectionism"Sympathy strikes" spread across the country after workers walked out at the Lindsey Oil Refinery when owner Total gave a £200m contract to Italian firm IREM. You'll find that no government in history is doing more to try and find ways that we can help people who are unemployed back in to work as quickly as possible Gordon Brown PM says 'no clear map' for crisisMandelson warns on protectionism
The government has called in independent mediator Acas to look into claims that British workers are being illegally excluded from engineering and construction projects, while unions have urged Mr Brown to meet heads of industry in the sectors as soon as possible.The government has called in independent mediator Acas to look into claims that British workers are being illegally excluded from engineering and construction projects, while unions have urged Mr Brown to meet heads of industry in the sectors as soon as possible.
Speaking from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Mr Brown told the BBC he understood why people were worried: "They look round and say, well, why can't we do these jobs ourselves." 'Undercut'
But he said instead of spontaneous strike action, "what we've got to do over time, as I've always said, is that where there are jobs in this country, we need people with the skills, developed in this country". Speaking from the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Mr Brown said instead of spontaneous strike action, "what we've got to do over time, as I've always said, is that where there are jobs in this country, we need people with the skills, developed in this country".
The prime minister said the government was meeting this challenge by increasing apprenticeships so that the country's skill set would be "ready for the upturn in a more effective way that we were in the past". WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW On BBC One: The Politics Show, 1200, Sunday 1 FebruaryOr watch it for up to seven days on the BBC class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/">iPlayer Tackled about his pledge at the 2007 Labour conference pledge to create "British jobs for British workers" - a slogan used by the striking refinery workers - Mr Brown said: "Well, we are part of a single European market but I have always understood the worries that people have.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW On BBC One: The Politics Show, 1200, Sunday 1 FebruaryOr watch it for up to seven days on the BBC iPlayer
"They look round and say, well, why can't we do these jobs, jobs ourselves, these are jobs that we can do.
"When, when I talked about British jobs, I was taking about giving people in Britain the skills, so that they have the ability to get jobs which were at present going to people from abroad."
Mr Brown added: "You'll find that no government in history is doing more to try and find ways that we can help people who are unemployed back in to work as quickly as possible."Mr Brown added: "You'll find that no government in history is doing more to try and find ways that we can help people who are unemployed back in to work as quickly as possible."
He also said that even in the current economic climate about two million jobs "change hands every month" and that the country currently had about 500,000 job vacancies. Health Secretary Alan Johnson said EU laws guaranteeing employment rights had been "undermined" by two recent judgements in the European Court of Justice and the government would push for action at a European level if it was proved British workers were being "undercut" by cheap labour from other parts of the EU.
HAVE YOUR SAYIt is a shame that it has come to this, but necessary if this is the only way it will get our government to put our interests above others. Carrie100, London Send us your comments
"If workers are being brought across here on worse terms and conditions to actually get jobs in front of British workers, on the basis of dumbing down the terms and conditions, that would be wrong and I can understand the anger about that," he told BBC One's Andrew Marr show.
But he also defended comments by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, who warned against protectionism and said British workers were free to take jobs in Europe, saying it was "great" if other countries wanted to employ "skilled British craftsmen and women".
'Ridiculous'
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague, for the Conservatives, said the strikers were asking "legitimate questions...and we have to recognise people are very worried about unemployment now" but he added: "Strikes are never the way forward."
He said no mainstream party would promise "British jobs for British workers" as there was free movement of labour in the EU, which the Tories "strongly supported".
"It was so unbelievably ridiculous and silly for the prime minister to say that in the first place," Mr Hague told the BBC. ENERGY WORKERS' PROTESTS 1. Grangemouth oil refinery, Central Scotland2. Scottish Power's Longannet power station, Fife3. Scottish Power's Cockenzie power station, East Lothian4. Shell gas processing plant, St Fergus, Aberdeenshire5. British Energy power station, Torness, East Lothian6. Mossmorran chemical plant, Fife7. Npower Aberthaw power station, south Wales8. South Hook natural gas terminal, Milton Haven, Pembrokeshire9. ICI chemical refinery at Wilton, Teesside10. Corus steel plant near Redcar, Teesside11. Scottish & Southern's Fiddler's Ferry power station, Cheshire12. AES Kilroot power station, County Antrim13. Marchwood power station, Hampshire Where are protests taking place?
But he said people worried about their jobs could "certainly look to the Conservative Party to do more to promote employment and combat unemployment than is being done in this country at the moment".
Acas chief executive John Taylor said it was at the initial stages of its investigation into the wildcat strikes originating in Lincolnshire.Acas chief executive John Taylor said it was at the initial stages of its investigation into the wildcat strikes originating in Lincolnshire.
He said: "We hope to start a more detailed investigation on Monday.He said: "We hope to start a more detailed investigation on Monday.
"We'll also be talking to employers and unions regarding a wider inquiry into the issues around 'contracting-out' on large construction projects.""We'll also be talking to employers and unions regarding a wider inquiry into the issues around 'contracting-out' on large construction projects."
The action comes after Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: "It would be a huge mistake to retreat from a policy where within the rules, UK companies can operate in Europe and European companies can operate here. class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYIt is a shame that it has come to this, but necessary if this is the only way it will get our Government to put our interests above others. Carrie100, London class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&forumID=5987&edition=1&ttl=20090201075227&#paginator">Send us your comments Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, said: "No company should be able to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of where they were born.
"Protectionism would be a sure-fire way of turning recession into depression." "You simply cannot say that only Italians can apply for jobs as has happened in this case. No-one is saying that different countries cannot bid for different contracts."
However some MPs have said that while the UK retains its European Union (EU) membership, very little could be done to resolve the dispute.
Former welfare minister and Labour MP for Birkenhead, Frank Field said the UK was in a "double arm lock".
"British workers are being specifically excluded from working on contracts by European contractors - contracts won by European contractors to operate in our very own country," he said.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage also said Acas would be powerless to help because European law barred countries from reserving jobs for its own workers. ENERGY WORKERS' PROTESTS 1. Grangemouth oil refinery, Central Scotland2. Scottish Power's Longannet power station, Fife3. Scottish Power's Cockenzie power station, East Lothian4. Shell gas processing plant, St Fergus, Aberdeenshire5. British Energy power station, Torness, East Lothian6. Mossmorran chemical plant, Fife7. Npower Aberthaw power station, south Wales8. South Hook natural gas terminal, Milton Haven, Pembrokeshire9. ICI chemical refinery at Wilton, Teesside10. Corus steel plant near Redcar, Teesside11. Scottish & Southern's Fiddler's Ferry power station, Cheshire12. AES Kilroot power station, County Antrim13. Marchwood power station, Hampshire Where are protests taking place?
But Paul Kenny, general secretary of the GMB union, said: "No company should be able to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of where they were born.
"You simply cannot say that only Italians can apply for jobs as has happened in this case. No one is saying that different countries cannot bid for different contracts."
And TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said refinery workers were "rightly angry" at employers denying British-based workers the chance to apply for new jobs.
"The employer will be in breach of the law if they restrict any future vacancies to workers of a particular nationality or location," he added.
Total has said there would be no "direct redundancies" as a result of handing the contract to construct a new unit at the Lindsey plant to the Italian firm, and that the tendering process had been "fair".Total has said there would be no "direct redundancies" as a result of handing the contract to construct a new unit at the Lindsey plant to the Italian firm, and that the tendering process had been "fair".
In a statement, Total said it "recognised" the concerns of contractors, that it had been a major local employer for 40 years and had 550 permanent staff employed at the refinery.In a statement, Total said it "recognised" the concerns of contractors, that it had been a major local employer for 40 years and had 550 permanent staff employed at the refinery.
IREM employs a specialist workforce and its 300 or more employees would be paid the same as existing contractors on the project, Total's bosses added.IREM employs a specialist workforce and its 300 or more employees would be paid the same as existing contractors on the project, Total's bosses added.
Workers have demanded Mr Brown fulfils a promise he made at the 2007 Labour Party conference of providing "British jobs for British workers".
British Nuclear Fuels has also confirmed that 900 contractors at Sellafield station in Cumbria are to meet on Monday to discuss possible industrial action.British Nuclear Fuels has also confirmed that 900 contractors at Sellafield station in Cumbria are to meet on Monday to discuss possible industrial action.
Union leaders and representatives of engineering construction firms and contractors are due to meet in London on Wednesday, under the umbrella name the National Joint Council, in a bid to find a find a resolution.Union leaders and representatives of engineering construction firms and contractors are due to meet in London on Wednesday, under the umbrella name the National Joint Council, in a bid to find a find a resolution.