Unite

The construction industry has been hit by the recession, particularly now with the government axing public sector building projects as part of its austerity measures. Companies have been forced to shed jobs and scale back on operations.

Jan Crosby, head of building and construction at KPMG, said: “Margins in the sector remain under pressure and contractors are looking at all areas to scale back on costs... Unfortunately it seems that employment contract terms may be one of the few areas left to try to make cost savings.”

Employees have suffered falls in earnings. Pay rates for bricklayers, for example, are down by about 30 per cent since 2007.

Hundreds of construction workers demonstrated outside the site of Total’s Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire after eight contractors, including Balfour Beatty, sent letters to workers asking them to agree to new terms and conditions or face dismissal in December. Protests have been held at building sites across the country in recent weeks and are set to spread to London and Glasgow.

The Unite union says that employees could face pay cuts of up to 30 per cent if the new agreement is introduced, as well as reduced holiday entitlement and overtime. It also fears that the deal will lead to fully qualified tradesmen being replaced by lesser skilled workers.

Chris Weldon, regional officer at Unite, said: “Construction workers cannot afford to lose a third of their income. They have families to support and mortgages to pay. That is why workers are so determined to defend what they have.”
"This is a direct threat on your livelihood, to your skills set and to any future that you have in this industry – you need to stand up and fight." That was the message to workers at union-organised demonstrations held outside the Lindsey Oil Refinery and ConocoPhilips refinery.

Kenny Ward, senior shop steward for Unite's said "In the drive for profit and to boost the shareholder's dividend, workers are going to suffer. What these unscrupulous, greedy employers intend to do, is bring in less-favourable terms and conditions and give the money back to themselves and their shareholders. You have got to realise the threat, brothers; the threat is to your livelihood and to your ability to put food on the table and pay your bills – we are asking for your support."
Addressing the amassed crowd, national officer for Unite John Allot said: "The employers are putting a gun to the head of their workers, saying sign this new contract on December 7 or be sacked. We can't allow that to take place. Greater men than me fought for these agreements in the past and we've got to show them we're not going to allow them to tear them up and deskill the industry on worse terms and conditions in the process."
Speaking to the Telegraph, Steve Syson, regional officer for Unite, said: "The employers say that they are making these cuts and want changes to the agreement on the basis of the current economic climate and the position they are in within that. I think that is a false statement. A lot of these employers are making millions and millions of pounds. They are very profitable companies, their directors take home big pay packets and big bonuses. They are asking our members to take up to a 30 per cent pay cut to support their business – it is just not on."