Fair Access To Work

I have been sent the following:

GMB LONDON DEMONSTRATIONS ON FEB 3RD AT UNDERPAYMENT OF OVERSEAS WORKERS ON STAYTHORPHE AND ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION SITES BEING USED TO UNDERCUT UK WORKERS

Unemployed workers to demonstrate and deliver proof uncovered at Staythorpe at offices of Alstom, ECIA and Lord Mandelson and Rally to demand end to employers lies about underpayment and exploitation in Engineering Construction

Unemployed engineering construction workers will travel to London on Wednesday 3rd February from all parts of UK to stage protest demonstrations outside the offices of Alstom, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) and Lord Mandelson Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and to attend a rally to demand an end to employers lies about underpayment and exploitation in Engineering Construction.

This follows a full audit of Italian sub contractors Somi, working for main contractor Alstom at the Staythorpe Power station construction site in Nottinghamshire, which uncovered that Somi has been underpaying employees by 1,300 Euros per month. See Notes to Editors 1 below for full details.

The details of the rally and demonstrations are as follows:

From 11.00am rally to assemble
Old Palace Yard
Westminster
London SW1 P 3JY

At 11 .00am protest demonstration outside Alstrom office
175 High Holborn
London WC1V 7AA

At 11.30am protest demonstration outside Lord Mandelson's office
Business, Innovation and Skills Department
1 Victoria Street
London SW1 H 0ET

At 12.00 noon protest demonstration outside ECIA office
Broadway House
5 Tothill Street
London SW1 H 9NS
From 12.30 pm (delegations return from above 3 protests) Rally at
Old Palace Yard
London SW1 P 3JY

Speakers to include Paul Kenny GMB General Secretary, Phil Davies GMB National Secretary for Engineering Construction and Rally to be chaired by Phil Whitehurst GMB lead organizer Engineering Construction plus other guest speakers

Paul Kenny GMB General Secretary said “GMB has on numerous occasions advised employers and Government that undercutting is happening. GMB said that the only reason employers were bringing in overseas labour while local labour was on the dole was because they were paying them less. The findings at Staythorpe, but also concrete evidence at Isle of Grain and Lindsay Oil Refinery sites, demonstrates that some employers set out to undermine the national agreement not only on pay but also on safe construction.

Alstrom, the ECIA and Lord Mandelson all denied that undercutting was happening. GMB now insists that heads should roll, that undercutting should stop and that the unemployed UK workforce be put to work.

These protests are to say clearly that we will not be fobbed off any more. Lord Mandelson should return to the House of Lords with a new statement correcting that which he gave last year. (See par 4 in note 1 below)
End

Contacts: Phil Whitehurst on 07968 338810 or Phil Davies, GMB National Secretary on 07850 966465 Andy Fletcher Regional Organiser 07966 327984 / 01476 591870 Les Dobbs 07966 327967 / 01162510922 or

The Gaffer.............................. www.bearfacts.co.uk thegaffer@bearfacts.co.uk