Neb – I’ve worked on sites where the contract required that ‘local’ (ie not Manchester) labour be given preference.

There’s nothing wrong with people putting the interests of their local communities first. As indeed there’s nothing wrong with putting your nation’s interest first.

The fact that this even needs to be argued, speaks volumes about why this country is in the mess it’s in.

And btw, I’m pretty sure Italians don’t have better constructions skills than the British. Shame on you for thinking that might be a possibility.

As someone who has escaped from North East Lincolnshire, and who may someday enjoy the freedom of being able to find employment in another country, I feel really sorry for the striking workers who are so scared of the principles of the marketplace that they live in, that they feel they must highlight their own ineptness by striking.

The company who use italian workers can do the job cheaper than the company who use british workers. Who is to blame that Total chose the first of the two?

Either way its irrelevant, the bid from the italian company was obviously more favourable. Thats all that matters really.

No, it is relevant. If an Italian company has an advantage because of Italian corporate law then it’s our government’s fault, not either of the companies involved.

If Italians simply have a better work ethic(!) then we’re really in the shit.

fair point gus, but there must be some reason why the italians won the tender? I very much doubt they won it just because they are Italian…

Competition is only a bad thing if you get beat… if it stimulates other british companies to be more efficient, harder working and more viable then surely thats a good thing?

its a bit like the football debate, the influx of foreign players on the premier league…. It has its good points and its bad points but at the end of the day its law and there is **** all we can do about it.

I personally think the EU is a fantastic idea, but only if we embrace it. If we muddle on, bitching a moaning about EU this and EU that, we are doomed. If we withdraw from europe then we’ll have an even harder time as we’d have to put up with the americans which are even worse. (and we’ve got nowt to offer them, and we wouldn’t be able to buy electrickery off them either..!)

Employing locals should certainly be a consideration and be seen as a good thing. But it shouldn’t be the only consideration. Without knowing all the facts I can’t really comment on what the right thing to do was.

I’m glad the company I work for employs foreigners, it’s dutch. I’m sure many others are employed by foreign countries as well. Can’t have one rule for us and another for them.

Employing locals should be a consideration obviously, but that should come into the analysis of the tender. Which I’m sure total did.

Do you buy from your local bike shop? or do you use the internet to buy stuff? Its a similar argument. I’d never buy on the internet if I could get the same thing, in the same time for the same price at the lbs.

I don’t see how the Total/italian issue is any different.