Dispute hits œ6 million project

Contractor John Sisk could face further delays on its troubled œ6 million Parkside Community School contract in Cambridge following an industrial dispute this week which resulted in the dismissal of eight operatives who refused to sign a new PAYE contract.

The eight workers claim that the new contract would cut their pay by œ50 a week and add an extra seven hours to their weekly shift. All eight employees were dismissed after refusing to sign the new contract.

The GMB is now taking legal action against John Sisk for the alleged unfair dismissal of the eight operatives.

"We are taking this case to the industrial tribunal. We intend to fight any contractor who tries to issue these inadequate PAYE contracts. This contract effectively cut œ50 a week from these workers' wages whilst adding an extra seven hours onto their weekly workload. It also failed to recognise any continuity of service or any of the minimum standards of the working rule agreement," said the GMB local organiser Steve Ryan.

Sisk's contract is already running late and concern is growing among the school's governors that the dispute will further delay the project.

School governor Dr Nick Gay said: "The handover date has been moved back a number of times from early April to the latest date of July 14 which may make it impossible for us to open the school to the children by September 1st.

"This contract has been a catalogue of mismanagement on the part of Sisk complicated by poor relations between the council and Sisk. It is clear Sisk has behaved in a disgraceful manner in sacking these men.

"This sort of macho management is completely unacceptable and gives us little confidence that this contract will be finished in time."

Subcontractors working on the job told CJ this week that the contract has been dogged by poor relations between the client Cambridgeshire County Council and the contractor, which had rebounded on the subcontractors.

"This job is a complete shambles and we have been caught in the crossfire between the council and the contractors. It has been a nightmare job to work on with Sisk witholding payments at the drop of a hat," said one subcontractor.

A spokesman for Sisk told CJ: "We are not prepared to comment on the matter at this time."

Cambridgeshire County Council denied that it had been in dispute with Sisk over the contract and refused to comment on the recent sackings. "It is a matter for the contractor and the workers involved," said a council spokesman.