Mediators take on workers row

Saturday 31st January 2009, 10:02AM GMT.

The Government has asked mediators to intervene in the bitter row over the use of foreign workers on construction projects in an attempt to halt an outbreak of wildcat strikes across the country.

The move followed sympathy protests over a decision to bring in hundreds of Italian and Portuguese contractors to work on a new £200 million plant at the giant Lindsey Oil Refinery at North Killingholme, North Lincolnshire.

It comes amid threats of mass industrial action in support of jobs for British workers.

Union leaders and representatives of engineering construction firms and contractors are expected to meet in London next week in a bid to find a way of resolving the row.

The so-called National Joint Council will meet on Wednesday. This will be followed by a meeting of union shop stewards a few days later.

Employment Minister Pat McFadden said he had asked the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to examine claims that British workers were being illegally excluded from some major engineering and construction projects.