What: Protest outside Lia Nici MP’s constituency office
When:  Friday, 4 Feb between 1pm – 3pm
Where: Unit M03-05 The Hub at Freeman Street Market, Nelson Street, Grimsby DN32 7DS

Activists will stage a protest on Friday outside the constituency office of Lia Nici MP. She stands accused of ignoring the plight of constituents who called on her to help resolve a long running strike.

The workers including some of her constituents are being paid up to 15 per cent below the agreed rate for the job by their employer Actavo. The scaffolders have been carrying out work at the British Steel site in Scunthorpe (see notes to editors).

Instead of offering to help the constituents who wrote to Lia Nici when they sought her support, she is “washing her hands of responsibility”. But 5 local MPs including two Conservative MPs have intervened and are helping to end the dispute.

Unite regional officer Richard Bedford said: “Lia Nici the MP for Great Grimsby is having trouble standing up for her constituents employed by Actavo. They are being underpaid and Lia Nici has refused to help.

“The Conservatives have promised to level up the North. Levelling up isn’t just about big infrastructure projects it’s about good jobs and decent pay, especially when the UK is in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“Other MPs, Labour and Conservative, are intervening on behalf of their constituents and have written to Actavo and British Steel. Instead of washing her hands of responsibility it's time for the MP for Great Grimsby to support her constituents."

ENDS

Notes to editors

Five local MPs have written to Actavo bosses to put pressure on the ‘intransigent’ company to end the dispute with scaffolders at British Steel. The workers have began continuous strike action today on 26 January at the steel works in Scunthorpe.

Letters have been sent to Actavo from; Ed Miliband MP for Doncaster North (Labour), Stephanie Peacock MP for Barnsley East (Labour), Yvette Cooper MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Labour), Andrew Percy MP for Brigg & Goole (Conservative) and Holly Mumby-Croft MP for Scunthorpe (Conservative).

The workers are in a long running dispute with their employer Actavo (UK). But Unite says that the client, British Steel, must also take responsibility for this long running dispute. 

The scaffolders have already taken 12 weeks of strike action in 2021. The workers are being paid up to 15 per cent below the agreed rate for the job under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). The union and thousands of supporters are calling on Actavo and British Steel to take responsibility for the 'mess' they have created by refusing to apply the national agreement and pay workers the rate for the job. 

For more information please contact Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Notes to editors: 

Unite is the leading union in the UK and Ireland, dedicated to defending and improving members' jobs, pay and conditions. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.