A national protest over the use of foreign labour in the UK is set to spread to Medway next week.

Members of the trade union Unite are expected to hold a demonstration outside E.ON power station on the Isle of Grain on Wednesday, February 11.

A new gas-fired plant is being built at the site by lead contractors Alstom.

Last week about 700 workers went on strike at the Lindsey oil refinery in north Lincolnshire, after contractors brought in non British labour to work on a construction project at the site.

A further 3,000 walked out in sympathy at 14 refineries and power stations.

Alstom says it does not and will not discriminate against British workers.

A spokesman for Alstom said: "We are employing UK British sub-contractors and non-UK sub contractors on site at present employing both UK and non-UK labour.

"Today we have around 15 sub contractors working at Grain, the overwhelming majority are British, only two being non-UK companies.

"We always give British firms and workers an equal chance to bid for work on the project. We do not and will not discriminate.

Plans for a ‘floating hotel’ close to the power station on the Isle of Grain could add fuel to protests against the use of foreign labour in the UK.

Alstom Power Systems has applied to Medway Council for planning permission to moor an accommodation barge at Damhead Creek from January 2009 to November 2010 to house up to 200 specialist workers employed at the Grain Combined Heat Project for EON at its Isle of Grain site.

But Alstom says the application is only a contingency plan.

A spokesman for E.ON said: "We have been given assurances by Alstom that they won’t discriminate against UK or non UK workers.

"As a company we do support local families and businesses through our existing coal fired power station at Kingsnorth and the oil fired power station on the Isle of Grain."

For more news from Medway visit medwaymessenger.co.uk >>>