"British Jobs for British workers": the problem of collective agreements in the UK

On January 28, 2009, workers at Lindsey Oil Refinery in Lincolnshire began unofficial strike action in protest about perceived discrimination against British workers. The wildcat strike, which initiated sympathy strikes in other parts of the country, highlighted widespread concern about the application of the European Union’s Posted Workers’ Directive 1 in the UK. The strikes flared up again in June 2009. An agreement to bring an end to the dispute has since been reached. However, concerns about the implementation in the UK of the Posted Workers’ Directive have not been resolved and it seems unlikely that the British Government will take action to alter its mode of implementation of the Directive.