Unite: Unemployed construction workers demonstrate outside Isle of Grain power station

Unite: Unemployed construction workers demonstrate outside Isle of Grain power station

Unite: Unemployed construction workers demonstrate outside Isle of Grain power station

Hundreds of skilled but unemployed construction workers, being refused work at the Isle of Grain power station, will hold a demonstration outside the site today (Tuesday) to call on Alstom to give UK-based labour fair access to work.

WHEN: 6.30am – 9.00am, Tuesday, 24th March
WHERE: Grain Power Station, Isle of Grain, Rochester, Kent, ME3 0AF.

Unite 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. The union 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.

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.

Two weeks ago 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’s joint general secretary, Derek Simpson said:

“Unemployed construction workers are demonstrating today to demand fairness not favours. These workers are not going away until they get a fair opportunity to secure work at the site. Alstom has the power to insist that the sub-contractors end this scandalous situation. 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.

“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.

“The union recently discovered that one sub-contractor at Grain was indeed undercutting agreed pay and conditions despite fierce denials that this was not happening. Thanks to Unite 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.”

ENDS

Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Notes to editors:
It is recommended that the media try to get to the power stations before 9.30am when attendance will be highest.