ELECTRICIANS� UNOFFICIAL ACTION KICKS OFF WEDNESDAY MORNING

23 August The first shots in the electricians pay dispute will be fired in anger tomorrow morning (Wednesday 24th August) with action taking place in London, Manchester and Liverpool against the threat of a 35% pay cut.

The centre of the unofficial action is the Balfour Beatty Engineering Services project at Blackfriars Station.

The dispute has been sparked after eight major electrical contractors announced their intention to withdraw from the Joint Industry Board (JIB) national industry agreement in March 2012. They are Bailey Building Services, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, Tommy Clarke, Crown House Technologies, Gratte Brothers, MJN Colston, SES and SPIE Matthew Hall.

The employers propose 3 new grades for electicians: metalworker �10.50 per hour, Wiring �12, Terminating �14. The current electricains JIB rate is �16.25p per hour across the board. For the worst hit this amounts to a 35% pay cut.

The last time the electrical contractors attempted to cut wages by de-skilling the electrical trade in 1999 it provoked a series of coordinated strikes on the Jubilee Line, Royal Opera House, Pfizers and power generation projects across the UK.

Further rolling action is expected against other electrical firms involved in the dispute early next week with projects such as Olympics, Westfield, Media City (Manchester) and power generation plants being hit - the dispute is expected to last throughout the Autumn and Winter.

Photo Opportunity

Blackfriars Station

7am Wed 24th August

For more info:

Alan Keys

[email protected]

The unofficial action is being organised by a group of union activists around the rank & file Site Worker magazine.