Union Unite has hit out at the developer of a Welsh £800 million energy from waste (EfW) project for undermining pay, conditions and safety.

The EfW facility at Park Adfer is being delivered by French company CNIM, who were contracted by the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Partnership to deliver the scheme. American firm Wheelabrator are also operating on the site.

Unite claims CNIM is refusing to apply national construction agreements on the development and is only using the minimum wage to set pay rates. In addition, the Union said the contractor are undermining health and safety, welfare provisions, training and refusing to employ local labour.

It is understood that there are currently 60 workers on the site but this is set to expand to 250-300 workers.

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Unite regional officer Steve Benson said the Welsh authorities are giving "carte blanche to CNIM to turn the clock back 50 years on construction rights".

"This project is a direct threat to the NAECI agreement and it must not be allowed to set a trend for future work," he said.

"Workers on the site are getting a pittance as the proper rates of pay and conditions are simply not being applied. There is no union representation; safety is being compromised as there are no elected safety reps.

"The future of the industry's collective agreements are being undermined despite their being a looming skills chasm in the industry, there is no apprentice training being undertaken at Park Afder.

"National agreements work for both workers and employers, workers receive a fair rate of pay and operate in a safe controlled environment, where they go home safely each day. In return projects are delivered promptly and on budget.

"Frankly it is insulting how the councils led by Flintshire have tried to wash their hands of the exploitation and misery which is occurring on their doorstep.

"The local councils need to stop rolling over and having their bellies tickled by Wheelbrator and CNIM and instead they must take action and ensure that the exploitation and squalor being created at Park Afder is ended."

With several protests having already taken place at the site, Unite said it was in the process of collecting signatures for a petition to force the Welsh Assembly to debate the issue.

(LM)