Delays to the construction of the Hinkley Point nuclear power
station could be on the cards, if a dispute over bonus payments
flares up into industrial action, the unions have warned.
Unite, the country’s largest union, and the GMB will be holding a
consultative ballot of the 700-strong workforce preparing the
groundworks at the Somerset site. The ballot will run between 2-5
May.
The dispute centres on the failure of the BYLOR consortium, made
up of the French company Bouygues TP and Laing O’Rourke, to pay
the bonus rate in line with the spirit of HPC Civil Construction
agreement. The other employer Keir Bam is currently not at the
negotiating table.
The unions argue that the bonus rate offered by BYLOR is
insufficient to attract the quality of workers needed to ensure
that that the civil works phase of the £18 billion project is
completed on time.
Unite regional officer and chair of the HPC joint union
committee Rob Miguel said: “The Hinkley
Point nuclear power station is key to the future energy needs of
the UK. The project has already suffered delays and to achieve
the 2025 start date for electricity generation a skilled
construction workforce is required.
“If the consultative ballot eventually leads to
full-scale industrial action ballot, we could be looking at
delays to the construction at Hinkley Point, which will be very
expensive for the employers as hired-in plant and machinery will
be lying idle.
“The scheme has already been plagued by delays over
its financing and can’t afford any further
interruptions.
“We would urge the employers to get back around the
table with senior union officials to achieve a fair settlement,
so building can continue to the highest standard, safely and on
schedule.”
Unite regional officer Tim Morris
said: “This poor offer is unacceptable under
all of the circumstances and our members came to Hinkley Point
under the belief that they would receive excellent pay and
bonuses.
“The employers think they can do this ‘on the cheap’
by offering a derisory bonus rate, but the workers consider it to
be completely inadequate to attract and hold onto the skilled
workforce necessary.”
GMB regional officer Adie Baker
said: “GMB members are not prepared to
accept this derisory offer on bonus payments that also threatens
health and safety standards on site.”
Hinkley Point is being built by the French energy company EDF,
with a stake from Chinese state-owned investor CGN. When
became prime minister last July
she pressed the ‘pause’ button on the project, but the go-ahead
was eventually given in September.
