Over 300 scaffolders working at Hinkley Point C near Burnham-On-Sea have begun unofficial strike action, voicing their concerns about pay rates and shift patterns at the site.
The scaffolders working for BYLOR began their protest on Wednesday and are now planning to take one day a week off work as a form of unofficial strike.
Tensions have reportedly been escalating on site for some time, with workers expressing dissatisfaction over their current compensation package.
One told a construction industry magazine: “Things have been bubbling for a while. We have been wanting the mechanical rate, our travel pay is way below what the MEH Alliance get. This week we just made a stand, it’s not a happy camp here.”
This recent unrest comes on the heels of last week’s walkout by around 125 mechanical and electrical workers under the MEH Alliance.
The catalyst for this walkout was an employer’s decision to slash travel allowances by 50%.
The MEH Alliance consists of Altrad, Balfour Beatty Bailey, Cavendish Nuclear, and Doosan Babcock.
In response to the workers’ actions, it is understood that the MEH Alliance contractors have agreed to restore travel allowances to their original level.
However, it is unclear whether this action will serve to quell the growing discontent among the BYLOR-employed scaffolders at Hinkley Point.
