Unemployed construction workers demonstrate outside Isle of Grain
power station
24th March 2009
WHEN: 6.30am - 9.00am, Tuesday, 24th March
WHERE: Grain Power Station, Isle of Grain, Rochester, Kent, ME3
0AF.
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.
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.
