Call for probe into £50-a-day wages allegation at flagship green energy project
MINISTERS are facing calls to investigate reports that foreign workers are being paid just £50 a day for construction work at a flagship green energy project backed by the Scottish Government.
The GMB union has written to Scotland’s Business Minister Paul Wheelhouse asking for a probe into the allegations at the Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
Polish, Czech, Croatian and Portuguese workers have complained about being paid just £50 for a full day’s work by contractors building the waste incinerator for recycling giant Viridor. The rate for an eight-hour day would see the workers earning less than the £7.50 UK statutory minimum wage for over-25s.
Work carried out at the site by those on the £50 rate includes turbine installation, welding and fitting as well as jobs linked to steel and piping, the GMB claims.
The Scottish Government granted planning permission for the plant and previously said it “sits alongside our measures to make Scotland a greener, cleaner place to live”.
Gary Cook, GMB Scotland organiser, said ministers had to investigate the allegations of low pay at the Dunbar site because of their backing for it.
He said: “The union will be pursuing Scottish Government ministers and new council administrations to investigate allegations of sub-supply work being carried out by non-UK labour for as little as £50 a day on the Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility.
“Do we want our green energy projects to be opportunities for workers in Scotland that provide a decent wage and secure employment or is the bottom line all that matters?”
Last night, a spokesman for the Dunbar ERF owner, Viridor, said it had asked its contractors to carry out a review into its “commitment to fair employment”.
The recycling giant said it had consulted the GMB as well as the Unite trade union about the move. The Viridor spokesman said: “Both Viridor and our construction partners have worked closely with their construction supply chains and with unions. As such the approach by GMB is disappointing.”
SCOTLAND’S chief fire officer will be told this week his service is in crisis with firefighters feeling “undervalued” and “under huge stress”, and because of cutbacks fire engines are idle. Alasdair Hay will be challenged by Fire Brigades Union (FBU) official Chris McGlone at Holyrood’s Justice Committee as part of a review into the merger of Scotland’s fire services in 2013.
McGlone will say the shake-up has led to “demotivated and demoralised” firefighters. Claims that public safety is being compromised with fire engines left idle due to a lack of funding will also be raised by McGlone.
A Government spokesman said: “The work of firefighters across the country is absolutely invaluable in keeping our communities safe.”
A Fire Service spokesman added: “Our resource budget ... has had a real terms cut of £2.6 million this year alone so it is imperative that we now look at new and efficient ways to deliver our service.”