One of the country's biggest unions, has learned that protests are set to intensify at construction sites across Britain tomorrow, Wednesday 7 December.

Unite the union is preparing to re-ballot Balfour Beatty Engineering Services over its attack on the skills and pay of its loyal workforce.

The union has been told that there will be protests across the UK, involving hundreds of construction workers outside sites including: SSI steel works Redcar in Hartlepool; Cardiff Hospital, Wales, St Catherine’s Hospital in Birkenhead, London’s Thameslink site at Blackfriars and Balfour Beatty's head office in Glasgow, Scotland.

Unite members at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services recently voted by 80 per cent for strike action, but BBES have used anti-union balloting laws to challenge the ballot. Unite, therefore, intends to re-ballot BBES along with two other companies who have threatened to pull out of long standing collective agreements and sack their skilled craft workers who refuse to sign poorer contracts.

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The dispute centres around the issue of de-skilling and a move by seven rogue employers, led by BBES, to tear up five long-standing industrial agreements and impose new contracts - several major construction companies plan to sack workers who do not sign new, inferior contracts.

Unite national officer, Bernard McAulay said: "Construction workers across Britain are angry by the employer-led attack which is an attempt to impose a de-skilling agenda that will reduce the pay of skilled workers by up to a third.

"Unite members in Balfour Beatty Engineering Services have voted by over 80 per cent to strike over their employer’s bullying behaviour. But BBES preferred to use anti-union balloting laws to challenge the ballot rather than listen to the voice of their workers, forcing Unite to re-ballot.

"It is time for these companies to get back around the negotiating table. They need to talk to Unite instead of imposing new inferior contracts on workers who have made it abundantly clear that they do not want them.

"Unite wants these employers to think again and abandon the move to impose new contracts. The union has asked Acas for their help and has called on employers to get back round the table."

Unite will announce the dates of the re-ballot with BBES and the next two employers in due course.

(CD)