Leeds Councillors Warned to Ensure Construction Workers Pay Rates

GMB AND UNITE unions say they will hold to account any client or contractor who tries to avoid the correct construction workers pay rates or get round the hard-fought rights their members have won.

Construction workers will be protesting today at the Civic Hall in Leeds to ensure workers employed on a new waste-to-energy plant at Skelton Grange in the city will be paid the rate for the job.

Construction Workers Pay

Leeds City Council has granted planning permission for the project but has not said that it should be built using the National Agreement for the Engineering Industry (NAECI), the appropriate national agreement for this type of construction work.

The protesting workers who will be starting their protest at 11.30am and are members of GMB and Unite, fear that unless Leeds council ensures that the NAECI agreement is used, undercutting will occur on the project and the rate for the job will not be paid.

More than 500 construction workers will be employed on the £250 million project, which will eventually provide power for 100,000 homes.

The project is being built for Enfinium by principal contractor Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), who have stated that they do not intend to use the NAECI agreement.

In addition to pay rates, the unions are concerned that workers will not benefit from enhanced overtime rates, mileage and lodging allowances, which frequently occurs when companies avoid using construction industry agreements.

Local Labour

There are growing fears that local labour will not be employed on the site, nor local skills training provided. The unions say this would be particularly short-sighted as there is demand for construction apprenticeships in the area and the Skelton Grange project is a prime opportunity for employers to help plug the skills gap the UK construction sector is facing.

Charlotte Childs, GMB National Officer, said: “GMB members and the national agreement have served the construction industry well. Union jobs are safer, better paid and the buildings well built.  It makes sense to adopt the national agreement to get this project built.

“GMB will hold to account any client or contractor who tries to circumnavigate the hard-fought rights our members have won. HZI needs to get round the table with GMB and Unite to bring this project under the agreement.”

Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary, added: “Leeds council and its councillors have to step up to the plate and tell HZI in no uncertain terms that it must play by the rules and follow the NAECI agreement.

“Unite will be giving its members full support in ensuring that the rate for the job is paid on this project.”

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