Union fury as talks on Olympics stutter

Future negotiations between the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and construction unions over pay and conditions are at risk of being "highly strained", with the client reportedly brushing away a working agreement incorporating a directly-employed labour force and the recruitment of local labour and apprentices.

Sources told CJ that the unions are also furious with the ODA for appearing to be reneging on its initial plans to adopt best practice ideas from BAA's T5 project.

The working agreement proposals, which included a set quota on the use of apprentices and local labour on Olympic projects, formed the bones of an agreement to provide "world-class employment". Sources say the ODA has so far rejected these suggestions "without explanation".

One source told CJ: "We have been told there is no movement for negotiation. We don't know why." CJ also understands that the ODA's construction director Howard Shiplee has requested an urgent meeting with all the main unions by the end of the month.

However, UCATT, GMB, Amicus and the TGWU have put up a united front they will not put their name to an agreement that could open the door for bogus self-employment and leave them carrying the can.

"If we can't agree on this initial step, I can see real problems on other talks about pay and working conditions," said another source. "The unions are furious as there was so much talk about using local employment. It was also meant to be an opportunity for the industry to really club together on the skills issue and introduce more apprentices rather than cheap foreign labour."

An ODA spokesperson said: "Our delivery partners are engaged in constructive talks with trade unions to finalise a memorandum of agreement. We are not getting into a running commentary on the detail of these negotiations."

A spokesperson for delivery partner CLM added: "Our engagement with the unions to date on the memorandum of agreement that sets the framework for the management of industrial relations for the Games has been very positive.

"We have agreed most items and expect to resolve any outstanding issues early this year."

[Contract Journal, 17 January 2007, p4]