Unite: Workers excluded from Isle of Grain stage protest

Unite: Workers excluded from Isle of Grain stage protest

Unite: Workers excluded from Isle of Grain stage protest

Workers refused access to work at the Isle of Grain power station construction site will hold a demonstration today (Thursday) outside the local job centre in Chatham, Kent between 11.00am and 1.00pm (see note to editors).

The union is investigating claims at the Isle of Grain that two sub-contractors, Remak and ZRE, have refused to consider applications for work from UK-based labour. Unite estimates that the two sub-contractors will require 450 workers over the lifetime of the project. Alstom has been contracted by E.on to build the power station.

Late last week Unite exposed Remak for paying its non UK workers below the national rates of pay. The underpayment only came to light because the unions exposed it, as a result Alstom has committed to ensuring that Remak pays its non UK employees the correct rates, in line with the national agreement.

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

Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said:

“Unemployed construction workers are asking for fairness not favours. UK-based labour must be given a fair chance to get a cut of the action to build a new generation of UK power stations.

“Last week the union discovered that one sub-contractor at Grain was indeed undercutting agreed pay and conditions despite fierce denials that this was not happening. Thanks to the union non- UK Labour working on this contract will now be getting the correct rates of pay. The pay differences exposed by Unite support the view that Remak may have been discriminating against UK workers to save money.

“This issue highlights the fact that self regulation is not working. The government needs to regulate this industry. Workers are relying on unions acting as detectives in order to be treated fairly.”

“No European worker should be barred from applying for a British job and absolutely no British worker should be barred from applying for a British job.”

A demonstration will also take place on Tuesday, 24th March at the Isle of Grain power station.

ENDS

Chatham Jobcentre Plus
Crown House
The Brook
Chatham
Kent ME4 4LQ

For further information contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315.