The Unite union has secured agreement on HS2 workers' overtime rates and holiday entitlement. The affected workers will also receive "substantial back pay".
In March, Unite revealed that it had obtained multiple payslips from workers employed by labour supplier Bowercross Construction Ltd (BCL) on the Euston HS2 contract being undertaken by the Costain/Skanska Joint Venture (CSJV), which demonstrated that workers were not being paid the correct overtime rates and not receiving the correct holiday entitlement.
Unite estimates that the failure to pay the correct overtime rates meant that workers were on average being underpaid by over £100 a week.
Following a meeting with CSJV, the company committed to immediately begin paying the correct overtime rates and to increase the holiday entitlement
CSJV has also committed to provide back pay to all the affected workers who have been underpaid on the site. Unite estimates that the back pay bill is in excess of £1 million.
Unite national officer, Jerry Swain, said: “CSJV had no option once the scandal of the underpayments was revealed by Unite to immediately ensure the correct rates are paid.
“Questions remain about who knew and for how long workers were being underpaid and exploited.
“The commitment to not only pay the correct rates but also ensures that everyone who has been underpaid will receive the correct back pay demonstrated the value of unions. Without Unite the underpayment scandal would have continued unchallenged.
“CSJV must understand that Unite will not allow the denial of access to remain unchallenged. Unite will be using all the levers available industrial, legal and political to ensure the workers on this site and throughout the HS2 project have proper access to the union.”
