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Jobs protest at power plant site Jobs protest at power plant site
(about 4 hours later)
Up to 200 people have protested at a power station under construction in Pembrokeshire calling for jobs at the site to be given to British workers.Up to 200 people have protested at a power station under construction in Pembrokeshire calling for jobs at the site to be given to British workers.
Work on Pembroke power station began in May last year and is set to be Wales' largest once completed.Work on Pembroke power station began in May last year and is set to be Wales' largest once completed.
Those rallying believe the majority of first phase jobs have already been given to foreign nationals.Those rallying believe the majority of first phase jobs have already been given to foreign nationals.
However both the company, Alstom, and local MPs say the protesters are wrong and the majority of staff are British.However both the company, Alstom, and local MPs say the protesters are wrong and the majority of staff are British.
The rally was organised by an online Facebook group called Give the British Jobs First at Pembroke Power Station, which has about 2,600 members listed.The rally was organised by an online Facebook group called Give the British Jobs First at Pembroke Power Station, which has about 2,600 members listed.
Around 50 people were still taking part in the protest at around 0815 GMT.Around 50 people were still taking part in the protest at around 0815 GMT.
One of the movers behind the rally is a grandmother from Aberdare, Janette Leonard, who said: "I have no political allegiance and don't belong to a union.One of the movers behind the rally is a grandmother from Aberdare, Janette Leonard, who said: "I have no political allegiance and don't belong to a union.
"I got involved with the group on Facebook because I felt so bad for the local workers being denied fair access to employment.""I got involved with the group on Facebook because I felt so bad for the local workers being denied fair access to employment."
'Not racist or xenophobic''Not racist or xenophobic'
The work on the power station, which will be run by RWE npower, is due to last three-and-a-half year with the promise of almost 2,000 jobs in total.The work on the power station, which will be run by RWE npower, is due to last three-and-a-half year with the promise of almost 2,000 jobs in total.
At present, according to figures released by Alstom last month to Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger, there are 373 people working there, with 97.5% of the non-management staff UK residents.At present, according to figures released by Alstom last month to Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Nick Ainger, there are 373 people working there, with 97.5% of the non-management staff UK residents.
More than half came from Wales, with just under half living in Pembrokeshire.More than half came from Wales, with just under half living in Pembrokeshire.
An artist's impression of the Pembroke power station
However, the organisers of the rally said those statistics were based on workers' postcodes, not their nationality.However, the organisers of the rally said those statistics were based on workers' postcodes, not their nationality.
In a statement, the group said: "We are not racist or xenophobic, what we want are common sense employment practises that put UK workers at the front of the jobs queue in the UK."In a statement, the group said: "We are not racist or xenophobic, what we want are common sense employment practises that put UK workers at the front of the jobs queue in the UK."
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb said he had been on site with the company recently and agreed that a large proportion of the workforce was Welsh, or living in Wales.Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb said he had been on site with the company recently and agreed that a large proportion of the workforce was Welsh, or living in Wales.
Alstom released a statement ahead of the protest, saying: "We only ever recruit people according to the specific skills that are needed, not according to nationality, as this would be discriminatory and illegal for us to do so.Alstom released a statement ahead of the protest, saying: "We only ever recruit people according to the specific skills that are needed, not according to nationality, as this would be discriminatory and illegal for us to do so.
"It would also be illegal to choose a British worker over one from the EU and vice versa. EU and UK employment law allows British workers to work abroad in the European Union and for European workers to work in the UK.""It would also be illegal to choose a British worker over one from the EU and vice versa. EU and UK employment law allows British workers to work abroad in the European Union and for European workers to work in the UK."