Crossrail contractor attacks trade union organisation

Crossrail contractor attacks trade union organisation

After the scandal of blacklisting in the construction industry, it seems Laing O’Rourke have learnt very little. Workers on the Crossrail site of their subsidiary Crown House Technologies have been forced to take action to defend basic trade union rights. Unite Officer Guy Langston has sent the following message via social media:

At Tottenham Court Road 60 Mechanical and Electrical operatives working for Crown House Technologies (Laing O’Rourke) have today cabined up on site. The issue stems from Crownhouse announcing that our elected Steward Terry Wilson is to be moved from site in a direct attack on union rights and industrial relations on Crossrail.
Guy Langston, Unite lead officer for Construction writes, “Crown House Technologies have consistently refused to recognise Terry as an elected shop steward at the Crossrail site – in direct contravention of the Crossrail industrial relations policy”. “I have repeatedly requested Crownhouse to issue us with their employment relations policy that has fallen on deaf ears. Workers at the site remain seated in the canteen despite threats to send them home and issue them with breaches of contract.

We are dismayed that a contractor on Crossrail the most prestigious construction project in Europe cannot recognise a basic right to organise and elect union stewards in line with Crossrail’s procurement policies.