Workers at a waste-to-energy plant in Glasgow have begun two days of industrial action, union Unite has announced.

Around 70 scaffolders and labourers began the 48-hour strike just after midnight this morning, 25 April due to a long-running dispute over pay with employer Interserve Industrial Services.

Further 48-hour action will be taken on Tuesday, 03 May.

It is understood when construction work started at the GRRC site 18 months ago in Polmadie, the scaffolders and labourers were employed on CIJC nationally agreed pay rates that are now less than workers subsequently employed on rates equivalent to the NAECI national agreement or greater.


Unite regional officer Stephen Deans said: "This dispute has been running since last June.

"The firm and their subcontractors are paying new workers on the site at the higher nationally NAECI  agreed rate or greater. They have had to employ people from across Scotland and even from outside Scotland, so they have had to pay more to attract the travelling workforce.

"What we are calling for is pay parity for all workers on the site that has a workforce of between 300 to 400 workers. This could mean an uplift of between £4 and £5 an hour for our members, depending on their jobs.

"We had a meeting with the Interserve management yesterday (Thursday) and they refused to consider pay parity. This is very disappointing.

"We want management to get back around the table and seriously negotiate on the issue of pay parity – we hope the two 48-hour strikes will focus management's mind."

(LM/MH)