Support the Lindsey construction workers right to work.

There has been subtle attempts to portray as racially motivated the recent walk outs by 3,000 plus unionized construction workers who are employed on contracts at oil refineries and power plants throughout the UK and Ireland in support of workers at the Lindsey refinery at North Killingholme, Linconshire,. Nothing could be farther from the truth and such a smear is indicative of how the media view the working classes, for unlike the media's perception the British and Irish working classes are far from being a single homogeneous white mass of Christianity, we are made up of all races and religions. 

The construction industry in the UK and Ireland has a long trade union tradition of employing local labour. In the days when the trade unions dominated the industry this was done by unofficial agreement at a local level between unions and management. In the 1960s and 70’s battles were fought to ensure such practices were adhered to by management. Normally the term local was used to describe the region the construction work was situated in. Local shop stewards and site conveners aimed for a workforce of 75% local---25% traveling-men.

There were advantages for the employers of employing local labour in that they had no need to pay the subsistence rates for board and lodging for traveling-men, agreed in national agreement negotiations between the TU and management. There was also a moral issue here for many of the local trade unionists, a large construction site disrupts and impacts on the local community, thus it is only correct that people who live within that community are given a fair chance of gaining employment on it.

As trade union influence became weaker in the construction industry, and disreputable employment practices became law due to legislation supported by both the Tory and Blair/Brown Labour governments. Sub contracting became the order of the day within the UK and Irish construction industry. It has now reached a ludicrous stage where employers are bringing in their entire workforce from overseas and housing them in appalling accommodation similar to that which major contractors provided for workers from the Indian subcontinent whom they had brought in to work in the oil rich Gulf states. For example the Italian company involved in the Linconshire dispute intends to house its work-force on converted barges moored in Grimsby dock, which amounts to housing workers in what is a large flop-house. It will also has the added effect of depriving the local economy of any real benefit of these workers being in the UK.

The newspapers have claimed the Italian company that is involved in the North Killingholme dispute must under EU law pay its overseas workers the same rate as those workers already employed on the site. This is a complete lie, all they need do is pay the minimum wage, which is approximately three times less that the average construction workers wage hourly rate. If this company had to pay the proper rate for the job you can bet your bottom dollar they would not be shipping in workers from overseas.

Finally I would just add this, will the likes of the BNP and right wing anti EU elements attempt to exploit this dispute? Yes, but workers are not stupid, those who believe this will happen need to show workers some respect. It will not be the first time political elements have attempted to use workers for there own ends. Now is it?  Nine out of ten times these people are sent away with a flea in their ear. This is an economic dispute and an attempt by rank and file trade unionists to regain influence within the construction industry.

Employing a percentage of local labour and gaining the correct rate for the job is of vital importance for the construction workers, that for the first time in many years these workers have come together and demanded their rights is a good thing and all progressive people should throw their weight behind them.