There are 50-plus scaffolders at the Scunthorpe site responsible for the maintenance of more than 500 scaffolding structures. Their pay dispute began in 2019.
Represented by the construction union, Unite, the workers are seeking to be paid in line with the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI). There is a difference of £2.00 an hour between their current pay rates and the established NAECI pay rates.
Since 2019, Brand Energy has refused to engage with Unite over the pay dispute, the union says, resulting in a ballot for strike action. The workforce delivered a 100% yes vote in favour of strike action.
Unite has called a total of six days of strikes over the coming weeks, with the first 48-hour strike starting on Monday 24th January, followed by the Monday and Tuesday of each of the following two weeks (3,4 and 8,9 February). In each case, the strikes run from 5.30am on the Monday until 5.29am on Wednesday.
Unite said that the dispute is made more complex as Brand Energy loses the scaffolding contract on 15th February when it transfers to Actavo. If the matter is not resolved before the contract is transferred, Unite will begin balloting for fresh industrial action with Actavo, once the contract transfers.
Unite regional officer John McIntyre said: “Our members have been left with no choice but to take strike action due to the refusal of Brand Energy to even engage with Unite on the pay issue.
“There are clear pay rates established for this type of highly skilled work and Brand Energy are deliberately undermining them.
“Our members play a crucial role maintaining safety on the British Steel site and deserve to be paid the correct rate for the job.
“Strike action will inevitably cause considerable disruption across the site but this dispute is solely of Brand Energy’s making and even at this late stage strike action can be avoided, if Brand Energy agree to pay the correct rate.
“If this matter is not resolved by the time Brand Energy loses the contract then it is only right and fair to inform the new contractor Actavo that preparations for renewed industrial action will begin when they inherit the contract.”
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
