UNITE Protesta contra las prácticas antisindicales de Costain SKANSKA

UNITE the Union, has stepped up its campaign against union busting practices of Costain SKANKSA Joint Venture (CSJV) with a series of demonstrations. On 4 October UNITE held the largest protest and demonstration outside of HS2 Euston site being operated by the CSJV and on 7 October Unite held a demonstration at HS2 Headquarters in Birmingham.

UNITE’s dispute with CSJV is the result of the ongoing union busting being undertaken by CSJV. Costain and Skanska has refused Unite normal access to its workforce, despite the client HS2 agreeing a framework agreement for the entire project, that sets out minimum standards including allowing union’s access to the workforce.

UNITE busca tener acceso, por acuerdo previo, a la zona de alimentación del proyecto durante los descansos de los trabajadores, una práctica que es normal en los sitios de construcción en todo el Reino Unido.

According to Gail Cartmail, Assistant General Secretary of UNITE, “We have been trying to resolve the problem of union busting through negotiations since the end of April, but the CSJV has refused to allow normal access and HS2 has declined to force their hand.”

Desde que comenzó la campaña de acercamiento a los trabajadores, UNITE ha descubierto una serie de problemas en el proyecto que infringen directamente el Acuerdo Marco, incluidas horas extra mal pagadas, falta de derechos de vacaciones, uso de compañías subcontratadas y la falta de garantía de que los trabajadores estén cubiertos por un plan de prestaciones por accidente y muerte.

Costain y Skanska tienen la práctica de acabar con los sindicatos en el Reino Unido y han creado listas negras de sindicalistas en construcción.

Unite national officer Jerry Swain stated, “Costain and Skanska are guilty of union busting and HS2 has acted as their conduit. Costain and Skanska were guilty of blacklisting on an industrial scale but have said they have changed their ways, we know a leopard doesn’t change its spots by denying Unite access to its site the question is, what are they hiding?”.