A BITTER dispute over foreign workers taking British jobs erupted into a wave of wildcat strikes across the country today.
Trade union officials conceded they had “lost control” as more than two thousand scaffolders, welders and electricians downed tools.

The walkout was triggered by a contractor shipping in hundreds of Italians and Portuguese to work at the Immingham oil refinery near Grimsby.

Sympathy protests broke out at plants across England, Scotland and Wales.

Derek Simpson, general secretary of the UNITE union, urged Gordon Brown to intervene – warning the situation was a “powder keg” waiting to explode.


Dynamite

He told the Sun: “This could become political dynamite.

“People like UKIP and the elements of the far right, the BNP, could see this as an opportunity to exploit the Britain versus foreigners argument.

“It could be so easy for people to be lead in one direction.”

He said workers at Immingham and other plants had “ignored” official trade union advice to go back to work so it could negotiate with contractors at blame for bringing in workers from overseas.

“Advice has been given that unofficial actions can’t be supported,” Mr Simpson said.

we have stated that at meetings in fact our shop stewards have resigned as a result of their advice being ignored.

“I think that to say anyone has control of this would be difficult.”

The dispute over the use of foreign workers has been brewing for months.

Spanish and Portuguese contractors have been shipped in to work on the Staythorpe power plant near Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Several hundred British workers at Immingham downed tools on Wednesday after Italians were brought in by a Sicilian company employed at the site.

Protestors claim the action makes a mockery of Gordon Brown’s famous pledge: “British jobs for British workers.”

The unofficial protest spread to other parts of the UK today, including Aberthaw in the Vale of Glamorgan and Longannet power plant in Scotland.

BP confirmed that contractors had walked out at the Forties pipeline – but insisted oil was still flowing into the UK.

Around 400 workers also staged a demonstration at the Wilton refinery in Teesside.

Some union sources claimed a viral internet campaign was behind the nationwide protest

You're either in the European Union or you're not. We are. Easy eh?

Auf Wiedersehen Pet!!!!

Hundreds of Italians and Spaniards coming to work here ???What about the safety of local women ?

There wont be a decent days work between the lot of them

Lazy fkkers will need a Siesta ever day..2 hours fkking kip , just to finish the day off ..

Yeah, unlike our fine, work-hungry locals.

Yeah you are dead right, 100's of thousands of highly skilled tradesmen looking for work and they bring in foreign workers

Why is this thread titled "Racists" ?

I thought it was because english workers were objecting to foreigners coming here taking our jobs and our women and therefore being racist.

I think you could've worked that out for yourself.

It European law and we are Europeans vote Labour vote Europe as simple as.

As Mouldy alludes European law allows free access between European member states for people looking for work. Plus a lot of our energy and utility companies are owned, or at least part-owned by foreign companies, so they will have no loyalty to British workers.

Maybe he was referring to the racism of French and Italian companies refusing to employ english workers.

these workers are not spending money over here so the british econamy goes down also no jobs for brits so these workers go on the dole so causing more strain on the country

Suck it up people because it only the start Europe rules ok.

Next week's weather will sort em out ..

ill still be there we work in the weather all year round.not like some softies on here with nice office jobs.

You're only jel!

shash a fashin shash Mutley snigger "sh sh sh sh sh sh