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| Sellafield workers join strikes | Sellafield workers join strikes |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Contractors at Sellafield nuclear site have walked out in support of protests over the use of foreign labour, that sparked wildcat strikes across the UK. | Contractors at Sellafield nuclear site have walked out in support of protests over the use of foreign labour, that sparked wildcat strikes across the UK. |
| The walkout came as talks were set to start over the dispute which began at Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire. | The walkout came as talks were set to start over the dispute which began at Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire. |
| Workers at Longannet power station in Fife have also downed tools, and staff at a nuclear site in Lancashire are due to decide whether to join the action. | |
| Lord Mandelson has urged workers to call off planned "sympathy strikes". | |
| About 600 mechanical contractors met in a car park at Sellafield early on Monday to discuss the need for industrial action, and left the site shortly afterwards in a 24-hour walk-out. | |
| Unions in Scotland are holding mass meetings with about 2,500 workers. | |
| So far contractors at Longannet have voted to stay out on strike for 24 hours and return to hold another mass meeting at 0730 GMT on Tuesday. | |
| 'Very determined' | |
| The government has said it might challenge EU law to stop cheap foreign labour "undercutting" British workers. | The government has said it might challenge EU law to stop cheap foreign labour "undercutting" British workers. |
| It said European Court of Justice rulings had "undermined" protections. | It said European Court of Justice rulings had "undermined" protections. |
| Changing EU law would need the agreement of other member states and could take years to get through and the Liberal Democrats warned challenging EU labour laws would be a "huge, self-defeating step too far". | Changing EU law would need the agreement of other member states and could take years to get through and the Liberal Democrats warned challenging EU labour laws would be a "huge, self-defeating step too far". |
| Speaking from Total's Linsey refinery in Killingholme, national officer from the union Unite, Bernard McAulay, said he was going in for talks with the owner and the sub-contracting company Jacobs on Monday morning. | |
| Mr McAulay said he hoped for a resolution but did not know what was on the agenda. | |
| He said: "These men are very determined, they want the opportunity to work." | |
| 'Undermined' | |
| Health Secretary Alan Johnson, a former trade union leader, has said that if workers were being brought to the UK on worse terms and conditions to get jobs ahead of British workers, "that would be wrong". | |
| He said both the government and trade unions strongly backed EU laws on the free movement of labour but that some of the protections in EU law may have been "undermined" by recent judgements in the European Court of Justice. | He said both the government and trade unions strongly backed EU laws on the free movement of labour but that some of the protections in EU law may have been "undermined" by recent judgements in the European Court of Justice. |
| Thousands walked out last week in a series of unofficial strikes around the UK in protest at the use of Italian and Portuguese labour at the Lindsey refinery. | |
| Mr Brown says the government will help workers facing redundancy | Mr Brown says the government will help workers facing redundancy |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he understood workers' fears over jobs, but said walkouts were "not the right thing to do". | |
| Lord Mandelson said he hoped the strikes would be called off after Total issued a statement maintaining that firms from the UK were not barred from bidding for subcontracts. | Lord Mandelson said he hoped the strikes would be called off after Total issued a statement maintaining that firms from the UK were not barred from bidding for subcontracts. |
| The firm said it sub-contracted "on a fair and non-discriminatory basis" and that wage rates were the same as for equivalent jobs on site. | The firm said it sub-contracted "on a fair and non-discriminatory basis" and that wage rates were the same as for equivalent jobs on site. |
| Labour laws | Labour laws |
| It would work with sub-contractors to ensure British workers were treated fairly, it added. | It would work with sub-contractors to ensure British workers were treated fairly, it added. |
| Lord Mandelson said arguments over rulings by the European Court were a separate issue. | Lord Mandelson said arguments over rulings by the European Court were a separate issue. |
| The European Court of Justice has recently provided interpretations of the EU's Posted Workers Directive, which seeks to ensure companies cannot use foreign employees to get round domestic labour laws and pay rates. | The European Court of Justice has recently provided interpretations of the EU's Posted Workers Directive, which seeks to ensure companies cannot use foreign employees to get round domestic labour laws and pay rates. |
| Its rulings suggest a company should be free to decide how it is staffed and free to provide the services it wishes. | Its rulings suggest a company should be free to decide how it is staffed and free to provide the services it wishes. |
| The most significant concerned a Latvian company, Laval, which had a contract to build schools in Sweden. | The most significant concerned a Latvian company, Laval, which had a contract to build schools in Sweden. |
| This form of contract clearly cannot go on Frank Field, Labour MP Brown criticises wildcat strikes | This form of contract clearly cannot go on Frank Field, Labour MP Brown criticises wildcat strikes |
| Laval claimed its freedom to use a Latvian workforce was being inhibited by attempts to block the move by Swedish unions. Its complaint was upheld. | Laval claimed its freedom to use a Latvian workforce was being inhibited by attempts to block the move by Swedish unions. Its complaint was upheld. |
| Unions in the UK suggest this ruling has now enabled foreign companies to discriminate against British workers for jobs. | Unions in the UK suggest this ruling has now enabled foreign companies to discriminate against British workers for jobs. |
| Former Labour minister Frank Field, co-chairman of a cross-party group on immigration, urged Mr Brown to push for a change in EU law to protect workers. | Former Labour minister Frank Field, co-chairman of a cross-party group on immigration, urged Mr Brown to push for a change in EU law to protect workers. |
| "This form of contract clearly cannot go on - where contracts are awarded and there's free movement of companies but those companies then restrict who can apply for those jobs." | |
| Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, said: "'British jobs for British workers' will only happen when Britain is run by and for Britons." | Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, which campaigns for Britain's exit from the EU, said: "'British jobs for British workers' will only happen when Britain is run by and for Britons." |
| 'Massive influx' | 'Massive influx' |
| But the Lib Dems have warned against any move by the government to exempt Britain from EU employment laws. | |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "The truth is that twice as many British people live and work in the EU than EU citizens work here. Any attempt to ban EU citizens from jobs in Britain would be a massive own goal. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "The truth is that twice as many British people live and work in the EU than EU citizens work here. Any attempt to ban EU citizens from jobs in Britain would be a massive own goal. |
| 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 | 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 every EU country followed suit, we would have to cope with a massive influx of British people who work overseas. | "If every EU country followed suit, we would have to cope with a massive influx of British people who work overseas. |
| The Conservatives said they understood people's fears about unemployment but said strikes were "not the way forward". The party supports the free movement of Labour within the EU. | |