Workers excluded from Isle of Grain stage protest
19th March 2009
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 union 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.
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