A five year campaign by trade union, Unite has secured access for its officials to provide on-site advice and support to workers on the HS2 tunnels project based at Euston.
The deal, reached with joint venture company Skanska, Costain, Strabag (SCS), means the union’s representative will be able to meet with workers in the site’s rest areas during break times, to discuss employment matters.
The union will also be able to attend induction meetings to talk to workers.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “The persistence and dedication of Unite construction members should be congratulated; it is their hard work which has ensued this access agreement has been signed.
“Construction workers based on the SCS project will now be able to freely consult a Unite official about all their employment and safety concerns.
“The signing of this agreement will ensure that Unite is now fully able to defend and enhance workers’ jobs, pay and conditions at HS2.”
The access agreement is the culmination of a five year campaign to secure standard access to the HS2 projects in central London. The union says it now means that all major parts of the HS2 development are covered by union access agreements.
Unite regional co-ordinating officer, Vince Passfield added: “This has been a long and challenging campaign to secure standard union access to this site. Now that it has been achieved Unite will ensure that workers will have their employment concerns swiftly and properly dealt with.”
The GMB union was also signatories to the access agreement.
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