PRESS RELEASE - 8/10/04

Supporters of Steve Hedley the agency worker and RMT member who was unfairly sacked last week by Contractors Westing House gathered in a picket outside the gates rival competitor Laing O’Rourkes On Friday 8th of October to build support for the case. We were met with a warm response from the workforce if not the management. The gates were picketed for one hour, all deliveries were blocked, and hundreds of workers were leafleted with the following text.

Trouble on CTRL

Traffic was at a complete standstill in King’s Cross on Monday morning as a picket-line halted all deliveries to the CTRL (Contracts 103-104-105). Backed up cars, vans, concrete wagons, steel deliveries and heavy plant caused gridlock in York Way and surrounding areas from 7am till 8.30am. All vehicles entering and leaving the site were stopped and hundreds of workers from the site showed solidarity with the action in support of Steve Hedley, an agency worker recently dismissed from the project.

Why?

On September, during a busy night shift, a shunt box worth £800 went missing. The team leader Steve Hedley immediately informed his supervisor of the loss. Steve is an agency worker. The agency he works for, MPI, have agreed to meet the cost of the lost item as they are liable.

So what’s the problem?

The main contractor on the site is Westing House, they have demanded that Steve pay the money from his own pocket or be placed on a blacklist. He has already been immediately dismissed from the site and lost a week’s wages because of this vindictive behaviour.

Agency Workers have rights too

More and more people work for agencies and CIS. Why should they be dismissed at a moments notice, without any proper investigations, procedures or chance to present their case. All agency workers and CIS workers could face similar bullying by managers intent on misusing their power. This only adds to the climate of fear already existing on many sites. Too often workers are silent about bad employment conditions and especially health and safety because to complain risks being sacked.

LAING - O’ROURKES

The bad treatment of workers on CTRL doesn’t stop with agency workers. Laing O’Rourkes are trying to force through a new national contract. Everyone is being put on the cards - we have no problem with that but no one should be forced to accept a cut in pay, cut in holidays or any worse terms and conditions. If there is going to be a new contract there should be full consultation with the workforce. Up and down the country, Laing O'rourke workers are demanding a proper say in the new contract. We don’t want any cut in the basic hourly rate or any cut in take home pay.

It is time to stand up and be counted. If you think its out of order that Steve has been sacked show your support. If you think it is out of order that Laing O’Rourke are pushing through a new contract without your consent show some backbone. Come to the meeting to discuss Steve Hedley’s case and Laing O’Rourkes contract.

FOLLOW UP ACTION.

Another picket will take place of contractors at the Kings Cross site on Monday 11th October at 7 am, to build for a mass meeting at the site entrance, on Wednesday 13th October, to discuss the plight of agency workers and the problems of the new contracts in Laing O’Rourke.

PICKET OF KINGS CROSS SITE ENTRANCES GATES, 7AM, MONDAY 11TH OCTOBER.

CTRL WORKERS MASS MEETING, OUTSIDE CTRL GATES, 7AM WEDNESDAY 13TH OCTOBER.

For further information please call Steve Hedley on: 07985 438 301