Construction company denies wrongdoing over “safety fears” dispute

A DISPUTE between union UCATT and BAM Nuttall, the construction company working on the £45m Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, has been prompted over “safety fears.”

UCATT has written to Leeds City Council claiming that workers breaks are being cut from an hour to 50 minutes, coinciding with this week’s hot weather.

Rob Morris, regional secretary of UCATT Yorkshire, said: “Construction workers need decent breaks in order to recover and refuel after undertaking strenuous work. If they are denied decent breaks, tiredness and fatigue kicks in and accidents are more likely. Bam Nuttall should be providing extra breaks not cutting the existing ones.”

The union said that the matter could not be resolved, claiming that they had attempted to get in touch with the site manager at Thwaites Mill, to no avail.

A company spokesman told Construction Enquirer: ” We know UCATT have been on the site but no-one made any contact with the project management.

“Breaks are 60 minutes as per the Working Rule Agreement and in the recent hot weather we have been handing out free water and using lightweight PPE to make everyone more comfortable.”