650 contractors sacked - strikes started across the UK

[MrMark]

Hundreds of workers across England and Wales have walked out in support of nearly 650 construction contractors sacked from the Lindsey Oil Refinery.

It comes after about 1,200 workers staged an unofficial walkout at the Lincolnshire plant, in a jobs dispute.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8108941.stm

[DodgyAgent]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8108941.stm

What makes me laugh is that most unions are committed to the UK freefalling into the hands of the EU and then this happens

[MrMark]

What makes me laugh is that most unions are committed to the UK freefalling into the hands of the EU and then this happens

Are you sure about that statement? There's always been a large element on the left opposed to Europe, and who see it as a uber-capitalist tool to introduce cheap migrant labour. At the last election there were even candidates standing as a left-wing alternative to UKIP:

http://no2eu.com/

No2EU - Yes to Democracy is a coalition of trade unionists, political parties and campaigning groups which have come together to defend democracy here and across the European Union

Needless to say, I think they're fighting the wrong battles. I'm old enough to remember the absolute dire state of the UK in the late 60s and early 70s. If we do leave the EU I'm positive we'll end up even worse - or do you think our current generation of chavs are world-beating engineers and entrepreneurs? Perhaps that was a little harsh; I don't see where the jobs are going to come from, now we've exported most of them to India or China. Perhaps protectionism is the only way we can keep our home population employed. May be worth stopping cheap imports of plastic toys and December asparagus, if it stops our land becoming a wasteland.
Sorry for the wittering, just thinking out aloud...

[Cyberman]

Leaving the EU will make no difference to our skills at all and absolutely no difference to our trade, but it will allow us to better control our own economy, remain outside the Euro and to stick to sensible employment laws which will protect jobs.
Remaining, will continue to decimate our ability to compete with the rest of the world as we become further swallowed-up in EU red tape.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Leaving the EU will make no difference to our skills at all and absolutely no difference to our trade, but it will allow us to better control our own economy, remain outside the Euro and to stick to sensible employment laws which will protect jobs.
Remaining, will continue to decimate our ability to compete with the rest of the world as we become further swallowed-up in EU red tape.

Curious as to whether you advocating leaving the EU but remaining within the EC ?

Britain is too great an influence in European politics to remain outside the EU - for all the drawbacks of membership the decison by the Conservatives to enter the European Union was the correct decision and remains so today.

Britain enjoys control over Sterling and as such has greater autonomy in responding to the economic climate .

I foreee no reason to alter that tremendous advantage nor to end Britain's continuing membership of the European Union.