One of the eight so-called 'rogue construction firms' who threatened to pull out of the JIB has written to its workforce to say it will no longer be a party to the move to impose the new BESNA agreement.

MJN Colston has confirmed to Unite that it no longer wishes to withdraw from the long established collective agreements and that it will now remain within the JIB.

Unite had warned the break-away eight to 'pull back from the brink' as the move by the eight would lead to industrial unrest and would compromise the ability for those companies to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Unite national officer for construction, Bernard McAulay, said: "We are pleased that MJN Colston has seen sense and returned to the JIB.

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"The last few weeks has seen large protests across the country. Our members are clearly angry at having their agreements torn up and being threatened with dismissal if they do not sign up to new inferior terms and conditions.

"The JIB was set up 40 years ago to end industrial unrest and introduce stability into the sector.

"Now because of the bullying way these companies are behaving we are seeing instability creeping back.

"We hope that Balfour Beatty, Crown House and the rest come back to the negotiating table so that we can move forward in a sensible and constructive way."

Workers in five of the eight breakaway companies have been written to by their managers with a stark choice - sign new contracts on much inferior pay, and terms and conditions or face the sack on 7 December.

The employers want to withdraw from five long-held agreements and replace them with a new agreement which will allow employers to introduce semi-skilled grades and dictate rather than negotiate on pay, holiday entitlement, overtime, and what constitutes away work.

But five of the eight have 'upped the stakes'. Balfour Beatty, Crown House Technologies, Spie Matthew Hall, Shepherd Engineering Services and NG Bailey have issued Unite with legal notice of their intention to dismiss, with notice, thousands of employees before re-engaging them on new inferior contracts.

(CD/BMcC)