A SCAFFOLDER protesting against the social dumping of migrant workers was hit by a car and hospitalised yesterday after bosses apparently told motorists to “drive through” picket lines.

Construction workers have been demonstrating outside the gates of a new waste incinerator at the Wilton site in Redcar, where locals claim they have been kept out of jobs in favour of labourers from eastern Europe and Wolverhampton.

Workers say waste giant Sita and site supremos Sembcorp are using this as a means to pay workers less than negotiated rates.

A scaffolder and GMB member attempting to hand leaflets through the windows of passing vehicles was taken away by ambulance after being hit by a car. Fellow demonstrators said he was treated for fractures at a hospital in Middlesbrough.

Unite activist Tony Seaman, who was at the demo, said: “We’re not here as skittles or moving targets, we’re doing our democratic job.”

He said the perpetrator of the attack was not alone in showing aggression.

“An office worker from Sembcorp was really irate, telling me to eff off,” he said.

“What we got told was that … Sembcorp was telling them: ‘When the protests are on, wind your windows up and drive through’.”

He said activists would respond by beefing up their presence on the gates and refusing to budge unless drivers took their flyers.

GMB blamed police tactics, calling on the Cleveland cops to drop their aggression. The force has been slammed for sending gun-toting traffic cops to police the demos.

“They seem to start with an attitude that the workers are troublemakers to be contained and restrained rather than citizens exercising their rights to peaceful protest,” national officer Phil Whitehurst said.

The Star was unable to reach Sita and Sembcorp for comment.