TSSA members balloted over Balfour Beatty pay dispute

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has warned of "looming industrial action" at Balfour Beatty where members of the union are being balloted in a dispute over pay.

Union members at Balfour Beatty aren’t being offering any pay increase for 2020 and only a rise of two per cent from this April. This comes at a time when the infrastructure company is paying out nearly £2m in bonuses to senior managers and turning a profit close to £50m.

From today, TSSA members who are part of the Central Rail System Alliance – working on railway track renewals, maintenance and upgrades – will start receiving their ballots asking them what industrial action they are formally prepared to take, up to and including a strike.

A recent referendum showed total unanimity against Balfour’s pay offer and, again, members were one hundred per cent in favour of being balloted for industrial action.

Manuel Cortes said: 

"Our brilliant members have shown huge commitment and sacrifice, working through this terrible pandemic, to deliver positive results for Balfour Beatty. Now it’s time for the company to step up to the plate with an improved offer – and avoid this looming industrial action.

"No one wants a strike, but we won’t stand by and see our members kicked in the teeth after what has been the hardest year, while company executives trouser huge bonuses. As things stand Balfour Beatty’s pay offer is insulting and unacceptable. We are just not having it.

"The fat cats at Balfour Beatty still have time to put this right and we are willing to sit down and discuss – but only if they make it clear they are prepared to improve the terms being offered, in line with our members' expectations."