Construction workers, members of the country’s largest trade union, Unite, will be staging a protest outside Ratcliffe power station between 6am and 8.30am tomorrow (Wednesday, 1 February) in an on-going dispute over proposals to make up to 30 per cent pay cuts as rogue employers are de-skill the industry.

Workers at Ratcliffe power station in Nottinghamshire will be demonstrating as its major contractor, Spie Matthew Hall is part of a group of breakaway construction companies, which are imposing semi-skilled grades onto the mechanical and electrical sector.

Unite regional officer, Steve Syson, said: “Our members are extremely angry at these proposed changes which are not only an attack on long standing and highly regarded industry agreements, but a serious attack on thousands of construction workers livelihoods.

“With the cost of living and day-to-day bills sky-rocketing, these workers cannot afford to lose a third of their income. They have made it clear that they will not accept a pay cut and will continue protesting until their employers have returned to the negotiating table for a constructive dialogue.”

Workers in five of the seven breakaway companies have been written to by their managers with a stark choice – sign new contracts on much inferior pay, and terms and conditions, or face the sack. The employers want to withdraw from five long-held agreements and replace them with a new agreement which will allow employers to introduce semi-skilled grades and dictate, rather than negotiate, on pay, holiday entitlement, overtime, and what constitutes away work.

However, five of the seven have upped the stakes. Balfour Beatty, Crown House Technologies, Spie Matthew Hall, Shepherd Engineering Services and NG Bailey have issued Unite with legal notice of their intention to dismiss, with notice, thousands of employees before re-engaging them on new inferior contracts.