| Labour unions to resort to strike over row in bonus at Terminal Five |
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Construction workers working at Terminal Five at Heathrow have threatened to go on a strike over dispute in bonus pay. This terminal is to be the new headquarters of British Airways and it is being funded by BAA Plc.
Laing O'Rourke Plc workers announced that they would strike for four days this month, according to the GMB and Transport and General Workers' labour unions. This strike would commence on Dec. 16 and last up to Dec. 21. They will also have a ban on working overtime at the site.
According to T&G spokesman Andrew Dodgson, Laing O'Rourke, the construction company, has refused to pay an extra of 1 pound an hour as requested by the unions. Dodgson added that workers on the site are being given a bonus pay since many of them do not belong to London. He added that their rate has not increased over three years.
GMB representative Tom Kelly said: “The strength of feeling amongst GMB members is growing. Any disruption to the construction will be placed directly at the door of the employer.”
Amec and Balfour Beatty have also received the claims from the unions. 600 workers out of the total 1,500 belonging to both the unions will participate in this industrial action beginning on Friday morning.
According to BAA Plc spokeswoman, alternate arrangements have been made at Heathrow to make sure that construction work is not disturbed by the strike. She added that in the four years of building at Terminal 5, they had only witnessed industrial action for a single day.
BAA is said to be spending 4.2 billion pounds on the Terminal 5. British Airways Plc is to relocate all in this new building, which would be ready by 2007.
Laing O'Rourke is said to be paying an additional 22 pence per hour. Their officials were not available for comment.
Posted
on : Sun, 11 Dec 2005 01:35 GMT | General News
By : Paula Jenkins
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