Hundreds of workers protest against Italians/Foreigners 'taking jobs'...

[Spion]

And that's "anti Italian" is it?

The facts are this:

A workforce is given 90 day notices. A sub-sub contractor then says none of those workers will even be considered for the work, they'll bring in their own workforce.

And what? The workforce are to keep schtum about being pissed off in case it come across as a bit xenophobic?

Of course not. But they had a choice - fight for jobs for all or fight for jobs for Brits. They've chosen the latter, as the video interview makes plain

 

[audiotech]

what is your point? You have nothing to add to the thread, daren't you give us your actual opinion, you're not normally so shy.

one of the things MC5 will have missed in Paul Masons report was the way the main bbc news deliberately distorted opne protesters words to make him seem like an utter bigot, when he was saying something quite different.

"We can't work along these Portuguese or Eyeties" said the main news. Obviously 'eyeties' isn't exactly right on, so he must jsut be a bigot, right?

On Newsnight it transpired he said at least three more words - "because they're segregated.".

Where's that link to BBC complaints gone again?

I'll give my opinion when I'm good and ready thanks. Unlike most on here I've actually been on a picket line - whilst working for the post office in fact and on many others in solidarity. Racists wouldn't come anywhere near, but I do recall remonstrating with a fellow postie, who shouted "we don't want your support" at the Gay Liberation Front contingent on a march in support of postal workers in 1971. I welcome the support of all progressives.

one of the things MC5 will have missed

If anyone wasn't watching Newsnight and the BBC at the time then they would have missed it too?

 

[Fedayn]

Unlike most on here I've actually been on a picket line -

Who are you referring to here then? Come on do tell us.

 

[audiotech]

sorry, only just got your point!

Good of you to admit being a puppet of the bosses on this one

ho, ho, ho

 

[audiotech]

Who are you referring to here then? Come on do tell us.

Whoever hasn't been on a picket line.

Priority to work within the community, workplace struggle downgraded, pointless working in the trade unions and similar. They know who they are.

 

[Spion]

Il Manifesto's take on the strike

Il manifesto is the main left/communist newspaper here.

Seems to dwell mostly on the BNP's efforts to exploit things.

Again, seems a v negative take on the strike.

Things must be very distorted from that distance. Lord knows it's hard enough to find out what's really happening being based in the UK.

But, let's face it, what would someone 1,500 miles away see of these events?

* Some British workers go on strike after some Italian workers arrive
* Those British workers display Brit jobs for Brit workers placards prominently
* They strike for preferential treatment for British workers
* No effort is made to include the Italian workers

With the best will in the world it's not going to look good to an Italian w/c activist

 

[Fedayn]

Whoever hasn't been on a picket line.

Priority to work within the community, workplace struggle downgraded, pointless working in the trade unions and similar. They know who they are.

Well I think you should point them out in your oh so superior I've been on a picket line and you haven't condescending manner.

 

[audiotech]

Well I think you should point them out in your oh so superior I've been on a picket line and you haven't condescending manner.

Fuck off.

 

[treelover]

Langage Power Station all out, including hundreds of Poles, one in the eyes for the 'racism scanners'

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/new...er-Station/article-666037-detail/article.html

 

[Spion]

Langage Power Station all out, including hundreds of Poles, one in the eyes for the 'racism scanners'

Beats me why Poles would support a strike that explicitly aims to win favour for British workers over foreigners http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

 

[pk]

I don't think it was an 'establishment plot', more likely a combination of time contraint (although only 3 seconds were saved) and crappy journalism looking for a xenophobic angle.

No... I can't agree.

Those little playins are pre-prepared, no editor worth his salt would have been happy allowing some journo or producer to cut the comment where they did, knowing that he goes on to qualify his statement the way he did.

This strikes me as deliberately misleading editing to suit the "they're just racists" line.
Crappy journalism looking for a xenophobic angle - the orders must have come from someone higher up than the editor.

Fuck me how things have changed at the BBC since the Alistair Cambell incident.

Indefensible. And many here know I've tried to defend the BBC in the past.

 

[frogwoman]

maybe it's because the aims of the strikes are being mischaracterised in the media, or that while a *few* of the strikes may have racist aims not all of them do???

 

[belboid]

Beats me why Poles would support a strike that explicitly aims to win favour for British workers over foreigners http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

are you just going to post and repost that link? Have you missed all the posts about the BBC's explicit agenda? Your link proves nothing.

The Poles have no doubt joined in because they know - better than you - that this is NOT a strike for 'british jobs for british workers'

 

[treelover]

I can see both sides of the argument here - I knew Polish guys working who had a fantastic work ethic, more so than you'd ever get from the benefit dumbed down lazy gits that simply won't work.

this to me is worrying though, its becoming endemic, contrasting 'hard working migrants' with lazy (read indigenous) dolies, etc, it is guardian liberals and tory types who are most prone to it, but plenty of lefties have used this argument, Imo, its just as toxic as racism, etc.

 

[belboid]

I'll give my opinion when I'm good and ready thanks. Unlike most on here I've actually been on a picket line

lol, you've nothing to say at all then, except crap insults.

Any idea when you will be ready? Once the strike is over, and you've had enough time to read the paper and look up all the long words in the dictionary perchance?

 

[dennisr]

Beats me why Poles would support a strike that explicitly aims to win favour for British workers over foreigners http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

three people replied with honest comments to your original posting of the link above. You simply ignore these replies and the points made and repeat the same insinuation - what are you - a stuck record, spion?

maybe you should ask what those polish workers are ACTUALLY supporting - it might make you reconsider what the original strikers are supporting

 

[audiotech]

interesting video I just been sent by pm, which i missed when aired on the BBC, . The former shop steward makes a really good point about how he has been discriminated against before because of his union activity. The best people to demand H&S protection and the rate for the job being fucked over. A company on the make at lowest cost.

The former shop stewards anti-racism is clear.

'Last resort to employ European workers' is the union response.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

 

[dennisr]

The Poles have no doubt joined in because they know - better than you - that this is NOT a strike for 'british jobs for british workers'

Nicely put (and a damn sight faster than me on the reply button )

 

[audiotech]

lol, you've nothing to say at all then, except crap insults.

Any idea when you will be ready? Once the strike is over, and you've had enough time to read the paper and look up all the long words in the dictionary perchance?

tis shite

 

[Spion]

this is NOT a strike for 'british jobs for british workers'

Have you actually listened to what is said?

Reporter: What will actually get you back to work?

Strike leader (?): Fair play, and a level playing field as regards access to jobs on this site is concerned . . . .

Reporter: If someone came out and said if X percentage of jobs at this refinery and others go to British workers would that be enough to end this dispute?

SL: I believe the protesters would like to have access to the jobs and when all local labour and all local skilled labour has been exhausted then they should move further afield. The last resort should be to employ European labour.

 

[Spion]

maybe you should ask what those polish workers are ACTUALLY supporting

What are the Polish workers ACTUALLY supporting?

 

[ymu]

Beats me why Poles would support a strike that explicitly aims to win favour for British workers over foreigners http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7867207.stm

Oh noes. You better go and tell them how badly they've misjudged the strikers. We can't have ill-informed workers making these sorts of decisions, dammit.

Fuck's sake.

 

[dennisr]

Nicely put on another site (hopefully this gives Spion a clue as to the underlying anger of those involved in the dispute despite the crude slogans being taken up by the media) :

"The Viking and Laval ECJ judgements in December 2007 the rights of European firms to 'freedom of establishment' under Article 43 of the EC Treaty (the freedom of businesses to relocate their activities to another EU Member State) and Article 49 (‘freedom to provide services)

These allow firms to bring in their own labour when they are awarded contracts in another EU country which goes against the tradition that which ever nationalisty the firmm is that it recruits mainly from the host country that regulates labour and conditions. Short answer is the jobs don't have to be advertised full stop, the company just recruits and delivers with no questions asked.

Our bins were taken over by a Spanish frm about ten years ago for a while but we didn't have a load of Spanish brought over to replace the valient workfotce of our Direct Services.

If anything this dispute makes it perfectly clear that the EU is beneficial for the bosses and comes before labour."

 

[dennisr]

What are the Polish workers ACTUALLY supporting?

It been spelt out again and again - are you seriously this dense fella??

 

[free spirit]

The PCC says that complaints of inaccuracy in news broadcasts must me sent directly to the BBC

Any other independent bodies to send the complaints to?

anyone know if this is right about not sending complaints to the press complaints commission directly?

all I can see is this quote, which looks like it's a way of filtering out minor complaints and such like, but I'm kinda thinking that a headline item on bbc's flagship news programme that's so obviously selectively quoted might warrant their attention.

the best thing to do first is to write to the editor about it as soon as possible. That is usually the quickest way of getting a correction or apology for an inaccuracy or intrusion.

If the editor hasn't replied to you within a week - or you are unhappy with his or her response - then write to us as soon as possible. We will then consider it. There are certain time limits to making a complaint which are set out below.

 

[badco]

anyone know if this is right about not sending complaints to the press complaints commission directly?

Sorry I mispelt OfCom as Press Complaints CommisionSo it may be worth looking at the PCC

 

[Spion]

Oh noes. You better go and tell them how badly they've misjudged the strikers. We can't have ill-informed workers making these sorts of decisions, dammit.

Fuck's sake.

Do you support a strike where the stated aim, as expressed by one of its leaders is: "The last resort should be to employ European labour."?

Why?

 

[free spirit]

Sorry I mispelt OfCom as Press Complaints CommisionSo it may be worth looking at the PCC

lol - damn typos eh

 

[tangentlama]

No... I can't agree.

Those little playins are pre-prepared, no editor worth his salt would have been happy allowing some journo or producer to cut the comment where they did, knowing that he goes on to qualify his statement the way he did.

This strikes me as deliberately misleading editing to suit the "they're just racists" line.
Crappy journalism looking for a xenophobic angle - the orders must have come from someone higher up than the editor.

Fuck me how things have changed at the BBC since the Alistair Cambell incident.

Indefensible. And many here know I've tried to defend the BBC in the past.

Note this line, from the Unite South West regional officer:

Mr Pickford said British workers would probably be left out altogether from a probable jobs boom building a new generation of nuclear power plants in the UK.
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/new...er-Station/article-666037-detail/article.html

We don't want or need a new generation of nuclear power plants.

We want our skilled men to manufacture and build a new generation of regional and localised CHP plants, as well as get involved in manufacturing other alternative energy turbine technologies.

The Olkiluoto-3 reactor is thus at least 37 months behind schedule after 42 months’ construction, and some 50% over budget. It has also been criticized by the Finnish nuclear safety regulator. The nuclear industry has shifted from presenting the plant as a flagship new-build project to saying this is a normal case of the unique challenges of building first-of-a-kind plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto_Nuclear_Power_Plant

We need more of these:

IMMINGHAM COMBINED HEAT AND POWER PLANT (CHP)

Immingham CHP, which commenced commercial operation late 2004 – and is one of the largest, cleanest and most efficient of its type in Europe – provides steam heat and electrical power to ConocoPhillips Humber refinery and steam heat to the Total Lindsey oil refinery, adjacent to it in North Lincolnshire.

"The Humber refinery produces over 700,000t of petroleum coke each year."
In October 2006 ConocoPhillips announced the approval of an investment of approximately $400m (£210m) to expand capacity at its Immingham Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in the UK by 450MW, from 730MW to 1,180MW. This expansion will make Immingham CHP one of the world's largest and most efficient power stations and an additional source of low carbon heat and power for the UK.

Commercial operation of the expansion is currently expected to start in the summer of 2009. By combining the production of heat and power, Immingham CHP uses 20% less fuel and produces 25% less carbon than the alternative of producing heat and power separately.
http://www.hydrocarbons-technology.com/projects/humber/

We need to ensure that skilled Brit workers can build these CHP plants - which a small amount of retraining can accomplish. This will create many jobs!

 

[free spirit]

arse... pcc is just for newspapers and magazines it would seem...