Talks take place on JLE relations

M&E contractor Drake and Scull is to meet with AEEU officials today (Wednesday) in a bid to improve industrial relations on its £150 million Jubilee Line Extension contract.

However, the discussions come amid irritation on the union side with middle managers threatening "mass sackings."

One of the issues to be discussed will be the possible resumption of the night shift at the London Bridge site, which was suspended following industrial action last month. If the shift is restarted it will be within the confines of the 48-hour Working Time Regulations.

AEEU national officer Paul Corby told CJ: "We are bringing the parties together to start a dialogue on harmonious industrial relations, to utilise the JIB procedures and improve productivity and progress."

He said both parties had an equal stake in improving relations on the project and said he was hopeful about the outcome.

"I am doing my best to create a productive dialogue. We are bringing no baggage or prejudices to the table because both sides have a vested interest in this working out."

Corby added that some parties, which he refused to name, had threatened mass sackings. "For some time we've had these Rambo-like threats. It's a knee jerk reaction. It's a difficult job to turn around because it was badly organised from the start and there are those that want to blame the men - they are looking for a scapegoat. But I say to this element that any such move would incur the full, official wrath of the union."

He insisted that the meeting had not been prompted by these threats or by rumours that Drake and Scull was about to be kicked off the job.

"We are not going to this meeting under duress and it is a meeting we have been planning for sometime."

Corby dismissed as unfounded rumours recent claims that Bechtel, the project manager on the Jubilee Line Extension, is to replace M&E contractor Drake and Scull in a bid to speed up work.

"The rumours started when Crown House Engineering started to work alongside Drake and Scull on a separate project for London Underground," he said.

Drake and Scull also dismissed the claims as untrue.

"We are certainly not being replaced, nor are there plans to bring in additional M&E contractors," a Drake and Scull spokeswoman told CJ, and added: "We are still talking to the union and are hopeful we will resolve our difficulties."