I simply don't understand why this concession has been agreed upon. A contract was put up for tender and one company won it. It is then up to that contractor to decide how the work is carried out, who they want to employ to do it and what they wish to pay. Would a British contractor operating in Italy accept it if they were forced to employ locals, despite and having a qualified workforce of their own?

This is how the modern Europe works. 'British jobs for British people' is a an empty-headed and jingoistic mantra that belongs in a different age.

Also, has it escaped everybody's notice that Total is a French company?

I'm not xenophobic nor am I on the side of the foreign workers but this situation is going to crop up again in other industries as the recession gets worse. My main concern is that the 1100 litres of kerosene I ordered from Total last week arrives sooner rather than later, especially with this Arctic winter we are experiencing at the moment.

I completely agree Joachim. The companies involved should never have given in to these protesters' demands. It was a very short sighted decision and one that could end up having serious long term consequences for Britain. These firebrands have bullied a major corporation into taking a protectionist stance that can only result in a backlash for UK companies operating in Europe.

You're right, I think it is very shortsighted. We are living in an international community where there is no room for the protectionism of days gone by.

Although this wildcat strike has been called this will be the tip of the iceberg. Expect similar disputes across Europe soon.

These men are right to strike for their jobs - there are thousands of workers in this country that need jobs. If we want to keep our economy going these jobs need to go to British people first.

It's all well and good calling it shortsighted and labeling the protesters as "firebrands" when it's not your livelihood on the line. I'm not advocating a return to protectionism; as a previous poster remarked, that's an approach best left in the past. However, there is a wider issue here – that of corporate social responsibility. Most large corporations these days preach the value of enriching the societies in which they operate – which surely must involve a consideration of the local workforce. Or is CSR really just a load of PR bull?