T5 workers not penalised for lateness caused by extra security

Amec and BAA have denied claims that Amec workers at Heathrow's Terminal Five (T5) site had been penalised for lateness after increased security checks were introduced following last week's terrorist alert.

Site sources claimed earlier this week that Amec workers' pay was being docked if they arrived on site late after being delayed by additional security measures.

One source said workers were leaving home as early as 5am to beat the security queues, but were still not getting on to site before 7.20am or later. Some claimed to have had their pay docked for arriving late.

An Amec spokesperson said: "We have not penalised any of our 800+ M&E workforce at T5 for arriving late during the period of heightened security late last week."

The spokesperson explained that a small number of workers - fewer than 10 per cent - had been docked 15 minutes of pay by the automated clocking-in system, which could not be updated to take account of the crisis in the short time available. Workers had been informed that the company would make up that 15 minutes' pay in their next pay packet, and no complaints had been received from the workforce on site.

A BAA spokeswoman also dismissed the workers' complaints. "We have made it explicitly clear that sympathetic consideration will be given to all cases where there is a general delay and we are encouraging workers, where appropriate, to add in additional travel time to their claim."

She added that the security alert had not delayed the project, nor had workers been asked to work extra hours to counter the delays.

"It is business as usual. This has not impacted on the project, which is on schedule and on budget."

[Contract Journal, 16 August 2006, p 1 - web version updated with new information on 16 August 2006, received after going to press]