Wild cat strikes reported across the UK
After yesterday's walkout at a UK oil refinery there are reports of wildcat strikes across the country in support of UK workers allegedly barred from employment with a number of overseas companies in the UK. This is a serious situation which is developing in the UK as a number of "illegal" strikes are reported in many areas of the country. The massive Grangemouth oil refinery has been hit this morning which could cripple the UK's fuel sector if it continues for any length of time.
This is perhaps the first serious threat to Gordon Brown's increasingly close association with the EU where a number of employment directives have opened the door for foreign workers to exploit the UK employment system. Unions are now demanding urgent talks with UK government amid claims that his "British jobs of British workers" claim is fatally flawed.
Gordon Brown is now in a very difficult situation as he requires the assistance of his EU colleagues to pull the UK out of recession while he also needs to keep the unions and employees in the UK on his side. The influx of foreign companies into the UK construction and engineering sector would appear to be the catalyst for today's moves which could have far-reaching consequences.
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