UNION bosses have welcomed the support of the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor as they continue their protests with a construction company.

Dozens of GMB members gathered outside the Babcock,Wilcox Velund (BWV) Biomass Construction Project in Port Clarence, near Stockton, to fight for local jobs.

BWV has awarded the thermal insulation contract to Thermika – a Polish company which the union maintains has imported its own labour for the project, on suspected lower terms and conditions than the national rates for the thermal insulation industry.

Following the latest protest, GMB met with site management where commitments to utilise local labour were given.

Tom Allison, union organiser, said: “We welcomes the support from the mayor – and positive verbal pledges from the company that the local workforce will be used on the project.

“However until we have tangible evidence of the company’s intention, GMB will continue to lead Teesside’s trade union voice on this and other construction projects where clients and contractors snub use of local labour as the primary sources for employment.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen backed the union saying: "The GMB are absolutely right to call this protest. If big businesses are investing in our area then they need to put local people first and prioritise our fantastic local supply chain.

"We can’t keep letting big business take the easy way out by importing cheap labour when we have a fantastic pool of skilled workers living in Teesside."

The company has been contacted for comment.