Great comment piece by Nick Cohen in yesterday's Observer about the employment practices of First Group in the US.

As he describes UK and European companies are quite happy to dump the 'European Social Model' as soon as they cross the pond.

You can find out more about the transatlantic-union campaign in First Group here.

Of course First Group aren't the only UK or European company to deny the right to representation to their US workers. A couple of years ago I visited Greenville, South Carolina, and met with some of the PR people at the BMW plant there, which didn't recognise unions. They were at pains to tell me that of course they would recognise a union if that was the choice of their workers, but the issue hadn't arisen - not surprising when union density in the manufacturing sector South Carolina stands at less than 3%, and the use of union busters is the norm. Job security and union membership are pretty much mutually exclusive in South Carolina and many of the other 'right to work' (right to union bust) states.

On my way from the airport to the town I had to share a taxi with a rather unpleasant German bloke who was visiting one of his component factories in the area (non-union - and therefore cheaper and more compliant - labour has helped attract literally hundreds of European manufacturers to SC). When he found out what I did for a living he gleefully went on to tell me how workers in SC didn't want unions, and the usual employer spiel about what a burden they were on free enterprise etc etc. Best response came not from me but from the woman who was driving the cab who looked over her shoulder, fixed him with a hard glare, and told him he was talking out of his proverbial...he didn't say another word for the rest of the journey!