Taylor Wimpey has asked around 50 directly employed joiners and scaffolders in North East England to sign new contracts on reduced terms after a routine pay audit found that their earnings were nearly 25% higher than those of comparable roles. The gap was mainly accounted for by higher bonuses.
The housebuilder said the review was part of a regular benchmarking exercise. It identified a small number of Direct Labour roles whose current terms and conditions were significantly ahead of comparable rates and required review. Taylor Wimpey said the consultation process had been concluded fairly and openly and that it had consulted ACAS.
Union response
Unite regional officer Greg Robson said Taylor Wimpey had serious questions to answer about how it had treated the workers. He said the union would continue to support affected members, press the company for information it was entitled to and examine all avenues to fight the change, including industrial action.
A grievance has been raised in line with the Construction Joint Industry Council Working Rule Agreement. Taylor Wimpey said it was committed to engaging fully with employees before a final resolution is reached, with a number of potential outcomes still to be considered. The company added that it was committed to ensuring all employees were treated fairly and consistently across the business and throughout the process.