It’s a good deal, but there’s more to do

By Derek Simpson

Unite members at the Lindsey Oil Refinery have voted to return to work.

The deal opens 102 new jobs to British workers in addition to the posts awarded to an Italian company. According to management, no foreign workers will lose their jobs at the refinery.

This is a good deal which establishes the principle of fair access for UK workers on British construction projects. We now expect other companies in the construction industry to level the playing field for UK workers. The workers involved in the unofficial strike can now get back to work.

Lindsey is part of a much wider problem that will not go away just because the workers at Lindsey have voted to go back to work. There are still employers who are excluding UK workers from even applying for work on construction projects. No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job.

The Government is beginning to grasp the fundamental issues. They must act to level the playing field for UK workers. We need action which compels companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects, to sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements, which commit to fair access for UK Labour.

The UK needs to upgrade and build new power stations and there are huge opportunities to create thousands of well paid and highly skilled jobs. It will be a disgrace if UK workers are not even allowed to apply for jobs to build British power stations.