Ratcliffe sparks protest

October 11 A protest by around 100 construction electricians at Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station in Notts on Friday, 7 October, had a big impact. As workers in their cars stopped to talk to protesters, who were there to explain what their dispute is about, a backlog of traffic developed on to the main road all the way to the M1 junction, three miles away and caused delays on the Motorway itself!

Ratcliffe was chosen as one of the contractors there, SPIE is among the seven firms who want to tear up their agreed conditions.

Steve Score spoke to some of the workers, UNITE members, involved:

“There was a union demonstration already planned for this morning and our shop on this site voted to walk out today. There are 7 companies who want to pull out of the JIB (Joint Industry Board agreement), they want to introduce a lower grade for electricians to do our work. It could put skilled workers out of work, or we accept a big pay cut. But this will affect lots of other workers, not just electricians.”

“These young lads have been told over years if you get these qualifications, taking lower pay while you serve your time getting their qualifications, you will get decent pay in the end. Now they are being told that these are not worth the paper they are written on and anyone can do your job. Like typical capitalists they want to make money by taking it out of your pocket. If I was to do that I would be arrested!

We travel all over the country, working long hours. Now they won’t even give you a tea break!

These companies are not doing it because they aren’t making profits. They want to cut the pay in advance of new contracts that are in the pipeline. This is a rolling tour of protests and we won’t stop until we win. If they get away with attacking this agreement then all the others will follow. It will escalate and it will get bigger.”