During September, workers building the new pulverised coal injection plant at Sahaviriya Steel Industries in Redcar secured a victory over their employer.
The job began with the workers, who are “self-employed” through the Dutton International agency, being paid at Category 3 levels of pay. However, their employer, Rowecord Engineering, had reduced their pay by downgrading the job into a Category 4. This amounted to losing £1.50 from the hourly rate and a further £1 per hour from the bonus, over a five-week period.
On 11 September the workers decided enough was enough and “cabined up”. They were duly sacked and promptly picketed the site. On 13 September the dispute was over with the workers regaining the Category 3 status and awaiting their back pay. ■