Protectionist measures will turn the recession into a depression, says Daniel Wise
The recent spate of “wild cat” strikes following the Lindsey oil refinery industrial dispute has been described by Professor Ewing, president of the Institute of Employment Rights as a “glimpse into a future where the toxic mix of globalisation and weak labour standards meets economic recession”.
Certainly news of thousands of workers taking part in secondary walkouts across a dozen oil refineries, gas terminals and power stations has provoked extreme reaction from both sides of the political spectrum. Despite the need for Unite not to be perceived as supporting this unoffi cial strike action, joint leader Derek Simpson has been forthright in his criticisms of the European case law and legislation which gave rise to the initial dispute. However, in promulgating statements of support for British workers and their access to British jobs, care must be taken not to ride roughshod over the founding tenets of the EC and to ensure that the principle of economic freedom continues to be protected.
Europe takes a
