Construction workers have staged a protest near Cambuslang fire station in Scotland over plans by some firms to introduce new terms of employment.
The
BBC reports that the protesters have targeted Balfour Beatty, which is working on a fire training centre opposite the station.
Balfour Beatty is among eight companies that have backed the Building Engineering Services National Agreement (BESNA), which the Unite union claims will result in 30 per cent pay cuts.
The Heating and Ventilating Contractors' Association (HVCA) and Unite started discussions in March and formal talks began in April, but Unite walked out of negotiations at the beginning of the second meeting.
The agreement is intended to harmonise five different agreements currently covering electricians, plumbers and mechanical workers into a single joint industry agreement. Workers will be offered their current job under the new terms in order to meet quality and sustainability goals to harmonise workers' pay and terms and conditions. However, Unite has claimed the new deal would allow employers to introduce semi-skilled grades and 'dictate rather than negotiate' on pay, holiday entitlement and overtime.
Workers have been given until 7 December to sign the new agreement with a view to implementing it in March.
Unite regional officer Scott Foley told the BBC: 'Our members are skilled electricians, plumbers and heating and ventilating operatives who have spent years training and they will not sit back and accept the de-skilling of their industry and the slashing of their pay. The protest outside this fire station will show just how fired up our members are at this unprecedented attack on their livelihoods.'
The Cambuslang protest was arranged by Unite following on from previous protests at Grangemouth oil refinery, Glasgow Velodrome and Edinburgh City Council.
The eight companies backing the new agreement are Balfour Beatty, N G Bailey Building Services, Crown House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, Spie Matthew Hall, Shepherd Engineering Services, MJN Colston and T Clarke.
Speaking to the
BBC, Blane Judd chief executive of the HVCA said on behalf of the major contractors: 'We are somewhat surprised at the reaction of these activists who seem to have misinterpreted the terms and conditions of this new agreement. The facts are that there will be no job losses or redundancies as a result of the introduction of this agreement.
''Electrical operatives' pay will remain the same and plumbing and mechanical workers will receive an increase to bring them in line with their colleagues.'
He added: 'There are no changes to pension, sick pay, insurance or Bupa. Holiday will be standardised which will increase electricians' holiday entitlement by one day.'
Speaking to
Heating & Ventilating Review earlier this month, Mr Judd confirmed that the association has been continually seeking talks with Unite. Mr Judd said: 'We have always kept Unite informed of our plans, and the employers' door remains open to them - we hope to see them back around the negotiating table soon. But we cannot allow this process to be derailed - modernising is critical to the future prosperity of everyone in our industry.
'It is, frankly crazy in this day and age that three operatives could be travelling in the same van, to the same site, to carry out work on the same job, but all be on different hourly rates; different travel allowances; plus different holiday and sick pay entitlements.'
