Leeds Labour council backs company against workers
Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party
100 angry construction workers and their supporters marched to the Hitachi Zosen Inova site in south Leeds. A new energy-to-waste plant is being built. But the work is being done outside the NAECI national agreement on pay and conditions.
Construction companies have attempted to undermine the NAECI agreement repeatedly over the last decade, but have been repulsed by the strong rank-and-file organisation among construction workers.
A private security company, hired to keep the protest out, had put a gate on the road to the site. A sign claimed the gate was there because of repair work, but there was no evidence of this. It didn’t stop us marching to the site.
Most disgracefully, Leeds Labour council has granted planning permission for the site, despite an agreement with the unions to only allow NAECI sites. Discussions took place on the protest about suspending local funding to Labour from Unite and GMB unions, ahead of the upcoming council elections in May.
Scunthorpe scaffolders joined the march. They have been striking for months against subcontractor Actavo who is refusing to pay NAECI rates.
GMB and Unite organised the march. Union officers made strong pledges that this would be the start of a much bigger campaign to defend the NAECI agreement.
As well as joining the protests, Socialist Party members are raising this issue, and the role of Leeds City Council, in trade union branches.
