Ucatt has refuted claims by Laing O'Rourke that the union has not formally requested access to its £212 million hospital project site in Dumfries.
The contractor is currently delivering the multi-million pound scheme for NHS Scotland and completion is scheduled for December 2017.
The organisation has staged a series of demonstrations outside the development after claiming union officials tried to gain access to the site. However, Ucatt claimed its staff have not been allowed proper access and all communications have been ignored by Laing O'Rourke management.
A spokesperson for the contractor told the BBC: "Laing O'Rourke has the largest directly employed operative workforce within the UK building and engineering industry, and regards positive engagement between our managers and employees as vital to maintaining a safe and productive workplace environment.
"We totally support the role of the trade union movement and the support they can provide to our employees and ourselves.
"In this instance, Ucatt has not formally requested access to our Dumfries and Galloway project. We would, of course, be happy to discuss Ucatt's concerns regarding positive engagement."
However, Ucatt Regional Secretary Steve Dillon has rebuked this claim, stating he believes the company is "merely posturing and seeking to mask their blatant anti-trade union attitude".
"UCATT is dismayed to hear the inaccurate comments to the media from contractor Laing O'Rourke regarding union access to the new hospital site in Dumfries," he said.
"Firstly, in terms of the union not having ‘formally' requesting access, the presence of a Regional Officer on site on two occasions approaching management about accessing workers is a formal approach.
"In addition when Laing O'Rourke talk about a directly employed workforce, this is correct they do employ workers directly, what they omit from informing the media about is the fact that some workers employed directly on the Dumfries hospital site have been employed on three week contracts, not exactly an advert for secure and sustainable employment.
"The company has never offered UCATT any opportunity to highlight the benefits of being a member of the union at this site, and has actively pursued a strategy to prevent the union from speaking to workers."
Mr Dillon added despite a union officer giving his card to Laing O'Rourke management during the protest, no communication has been received from the contractor.
"If Liang O'Rourke is serious about opening engagement then they have our details and can make contact at any time to open meaningful dialogue," he said.
(LM/MH)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
07/11/2016
Ucatt Refutes Claims Over Access To £212m Dumfries Hospital Site
Latest Construction News
26/11/2024
Scottish Water has unveiled its largest-ever procurement initiative, aiming to modernise the nation's water and wastewater infrastructure while safeguarding the environment. The program, named Delivery Vehicle 4, is valued between £5 billion and £9 billion and is set to run from 2027 to 2033, with ...
26/11/2024
The City of Edinburgh Council has granted planning permission, subject to conditions, for the refurbishment of Calton Square, an office building currently occupied by Baillie Gifford until the end of December 2025. Promoted by Ardstone Capital on behalf of Manova Partners, the project aims to ...
26/11/2024
First Minister John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, praised the progress being made on the construction of the new Perth High School during a visit on Friday, 22 November. He was joined by Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, alongside senior Perth and Kinross Councillors, ...
26/11/2024
A state-of-the-art playpark has officially opened at King George V Park in Bearsden, following the completion of a £100,000 refurbishment. Funded by a combination of East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) Capital Funding and the Scottish Government’s Renewing Scotland’s Play Parks initiative, the ...
26/11/2024
Fife Council has launched a public consultation, inviting residents, businesses, and organizations to contribute ideas and propose sites for inclusion in the next Local Development Plan, known as Fife's Place Plan. The council is calling on community councils, landowners, and developers to share ...
26/11/2024
The Chief Executive of East Lothian Council has announced she is to retire in February 2025. Monica Patterson who has been Chief Executive for almost five years, has spent most of her professional career working in local government. Prior to joining East Lothian Council in 2010, she was Head of ...
25/11/2024
West of Scotland Housing Association (WSHA) and Connect Modular have jointly submitted a planning application to Glasgow City Council for the development of 33 affordable homes in Cowlairs. This project aligns with the wider Cowlairs Park regeneration scheme and the city's ambitious housing ...
25/11/2024
Arc-Tech (Scotland) has successfully completed a £6m Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) services package for the Lost Shore Surf Resort in Edinburgh. The state-of-the-art resort, which opened its doors earlier this month, features a range of amenities, including a wave pool, luxury lodges, and ...
25/11/2024
Scottish Water has successfully completed the construction of a groundbreaking hydro energy generation scheme at Whiteadder Reservoir in East Lothian. This innovative project, believed to be the first of its kind in Europe, will harness the power of water to offset a significant portion of the ...
25/11/2024
Work is set to commence on a £6.5 million project to upgrade the Double Dykes Gypsy/Traveller site near Perth. The initiative aims to replace outdated chalets with modern, energy-efficient accommodation and implement significant site improvements. Perth & Kinross Council secured £3.9 million from ...