Unite: Isle of grain pwer station: UK workers excluded, EU workers exploited

Unite: Isle of grain pwer station: UK workers excluded, EU workers exploited

Unite: Isle of grain pwer station: UK workers excluded, EU workers exploited

Unite has expressed outrage today (Friday) following confirmation that an employer which is already excluding UK labour from working on its contract is also exploiting non UK workers by paying below the national rate and breaking UK law.

The union has received a copy of a contract for a Polish worker at the site, subsequently translated, which reveals that the worker is being paid less than colleagues at the site. Under the national agreement, the standard rate for an advanced craftsman is £14.00 an hour but the contract seen by Unite states that the same grade only receives £10.01 an hour.

Unite is calling for the independent auditor on the Isle of Grain construction site to conduct an immediate investigation into the practices of the subcontractors on site. It has given Remak and Alstom 7 days to bring the employment contracts into line with UK law and the national agreement on pay, otherwise the union will demand that Remak is removed from the site. The union has vowed to use all legal avenues at its disposal to ensure there is fairness on this construction site.

Unite is also demanding that the workers being underpaid receive all the back pay which is owed to them. The union has also learnt that the sub-contractor expects its employees to pay for their own personal protective equipment, which is against UK health and safety legislation. By law contractors must provide their workers with protective equipment.

Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said:

“Remak has exploited its non-UK workers, excluded UK workers and Alstom let them get away with it. We demand that Remak and Alstom bring these underpaid workers’ contracts into line with UK legislation and the agreed pay rates. We deplore this attack on negotiated pay rates, and this discrimination by the company against the foreign workers.

“We are investigating claims that Remak has refused to consider any applications for jobs from UK workers. These pay differences support the view that Remak may be discriminating against UK workers to save money.

“This is clear evidence that undercutting exists in the industry despite fierce denials to the contrary. The employers association turns a blind eye to the rotten practices in this industry. Our members in the construction industry have even been blacklisted when in reality there should be a blacklist for the employers who break the law, exclude UK workers from applying for work and underpay their employees.”

Remak has been subcontracted by Alstom, which has been contracted by E.on to build the power station.

The Isle of Grain has been a focus of demonstrations by workers refused access to work at the site. Earlier this year waves of unofficial action took place across the country over the exclusion of UK-based labour from UK construction projects. Employers fiercely denied that any undercutting existed.

Over 600 people have applied for work on the contract but have not been awarded jobs. Workers refused access will hold a demonstration outside Chatham job centre in Kent on March 19th. A demonstration will also take place on March 24th at the power station.

Unite is calling on the government to insist that companies applying for contracts on public infrastructure projects to sign up to Corporate Social Responsibility agreements which commit to fair access for UK labour.

ENDS

For further information contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931315 / Pauline Doyle on 07976 832861 or the Unite Press Office on 020 7420 8914 / 8938.