Campaign to End HS2 Mistreatment of Construction Workers

A NEW campaign was launched today protesting the alleged mistreatment of construction workers operating on the High Speed Two (HS2) project.

The campaign launch, organised by Unite, the construction union, was marked by a protest outside of the headquarters of Costain-Skanska Joint Venture (CSJV), who are carrying out the southern area enabling works for HS2, the major part of this work being in the Euston area.

Unite revealed that construction workers working on the CSJV section of the project are being routinely denied direct employment and forced to operate via exploitative payrolls and umbrella companies. This way of employing adds to costs as the payroll umbrella company has to be paid by the workers, iresulting in paypacket deductions and a lower rate of pay.

The Costain-Skanska Joint Venture created a culture of secrecy on the project by banning Unite from having normal access to its workforce during breaks. This hampered workers wanting to raise concerns about, safety, pay, conditions, welfare facilities, blacklisting and bullying.

Sourcing Labour

The CSJV is paying a labour supplier company called Bowercross Construction Ltd to recruit and employ workers on the site. Unite says that Bowercross does not appear to have any of its own workers to bring onto site or the ability to recruit new workers. It is therefore forced to use an employment agency to find the required labour, something that it is being paid to do.

Once recruited, the workers are then required by the agency to sign up to be paid via an umbrella company. It is not clear how the umbrella payroll company is paid.

HS2 Mistreatment of Construction Workers

Unite national officer for construction, Jerry Swain

Unite national officer for construction Jerry Swain said: “HS2 is one of the most high-profile construction projects in the UK and there is an agreement between the unions and HS2 that outlaws these types of sharp practices.

“It would be reasonable to expect that HS2’s management, would want to ensure that first class workers’ rights exist on this project and as a minimum uphold the agreement they signed. HS2 need to take action against the likes of CSJV, who have made it clear to me that they care little for their clients wishes and even less for workers’ rights.

“By barring union officials from speaking to workers during their breaks the question needs to be asked, what have the management of CSJV got to hide? I suspect quite a bit from the reports I am receiving.

“It is reprehensible that the Costain-Skanska Joint Venture sees nothing wrong with workers being routinely exploited via umbrella companies on this landmark project. It is not as if this is going on behind their back, they are openly supportive of Bowercross and their practices.

“Today is the start of our campaign and those companies that spent decades destroying the lives of construction workers with their blacklist and unsafe practices need to learn that those days are over.”

Following the initial CSJV demonstration, Unite will extend its campaign across all HS2’s sites.

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