Wildcat strike at Didcot Power Station (From Oxford Mail)

Wildcat strike at Didcot Power Station

8:38pm Thursday 18th June 2009 in Didcot

EIGHTY workers went on strike at Didcot Power Station today in support of protests against the use of foreign labour at British industrial plants.

RWE npower, which owns the power station, confirmed the workers – all contractors – had gone on strike.

They had been carrying out maintenance projects at the power station’s A site and walked out at about 1pm in protest at the use of Italian and Portuguese workers on a project at the Lindsey oil refinery in Immingham, Lincolnshire.

This is the second time a walkout has taken place, following a similar dispute with 50 workers in February.

Last night, RWE npower said the Didcot strike had not affected the running of the power station.

It could not confirm which firms the contractors were employed by.

A total of 250 contract staff are employed at Didcot power station A site and 300 RWE npower staff.

A RWE npower spokesman said: “We understand that about 80 contract workers, who work on maintenance projects at Didcot A Power Station, downed tools yesterday in support of workers at the Lindsey Oil Refinery in North Lincolnshire.

“No RWE npower staff are involved and the situation is not affecting operations at Didcot A Power Station.”