Kier faces Watford strike threat

Work to redevelop Watford's Vicarage Road stadium and Watford General hospital could be hit by a simmering row between Kier and scaffold workers.

Construction union Ucatt claims dozens of workers at the Vicarage Road site are being forced to take pay cuts and could yet go on strike.

The Watford Observer reported that the scaffold workers say they are being rail-roaded into taking compulsory pay cuts, claiming they could lose up to a quarter of their monthly pay cheque.

Construction workers and union officials met managers of Kier last Friday afternoon.

But after the meeting they warned the ongoing impasse could leave them little option but take industrial action.

The threat could stall work to develop the corners of Watford FC's ground and erect key worker housing.

Kier has already begun constructing 141 one and two-bedroom flats and a further 23 shared ownership flats at the rear of the Rookery Stand.

The ambitious scheme will fill also in the corners of the stadium, including new changing rooms, press facilities, players' lounge and a match control centre for Watford Football Club.

The work is the first phase of the Watford Health Campus development, which is proposed to include the rebuilding of Watford General.

Ucatt regional official Jerry Swain said: "We wrote to Kier several weeks ago but to date they have not responded, our next step after consultation with our members is to consider industrial action.

"Management must be made to realise they cannot impose unilaterally such drastic wage without a reaction from their workers.

"We are all aware that there is a substantial down turn in construction work, however, we will not allow employers to use this as an excuse to rob building workers of a living wage.

"Ucatt is committed to defending its members and will not accept Kier's proposal in their present form."