Crane dispute escalates

Unite Construction has escalated its campaign for better pay and conditions for tower crane drivers working for Wolffkran this week with a second strike day and a protest outside a central London office.

Yesterday (19 Feb) activists from the Unite Construction sector were joined by fellow Unite members from Unite Community Tower Hamlets and campaigners from the London Hazards Centre in a demonstration outside the central London offices of property development giant Stanhope PLC.

Stanhope are a major partner of Wolffkran, a company who haven’t given tower crane operators a pay rise in years, and Unite demonstrators made sure that Stanhope understood that workers find this unacceptable – and the noisy protest ensured that city workers in Bishopsgate knew what sort of neighbours they had. 

Unite regional officer Vince McCoy said, “This dispute is about our members not receiving a pay rise for over three years. Our members are struggling, they are on £17.20 an hour for a high risk, safety critical, role in the construction industry.

“One of the major developers and a client of Wolffkran are Stanhope PLC, and we are outside their offices now to ask them to exert their influence over Wolffkran, and get them to come around the table, and reconvene talks on resolving this situation.”

Solidarity for the hard working and underpaid tower crane operatives from all sides, including Unite Community. 

Kay Ballard is Branch Secretary of Unite Community Tower Hamlets and explained why branch members had joined the protest, “We are here today to support our amazing crane drivers in London. Wherever you look, on the skyline there is a crane.

“They need a pay rise, they have not had one in three years. The cost of living, just to get into London, has gone up. Private rental has gone up. Trust me, everything has gone up except their wages.” 

Bright and early the following morning (20 Feb) tower crane operatives were back on strike and back on the streets, with further industrial action taking place at the Multiplex Phase 2 development of the former television studios in White City.

The development will see the regeneration of the site with new homes, offices for the creative industries and a wide range of leisure facilities, and Phase 2 includes The Ariel, a 23-storey tower with nearly 170 new homes – that would be impossible to build without the hard work and skills of tower crane operatives.

A large crowd of construction workers gathered with flags and the London branch banner outside the entrance to the development shouting “Wolffkran, Wolffran – shame on you!”

The tower crane operators are continuing their action following an earlier strike  January 27 in the dispute over pay and conditions with Wolffkran, one of the world’s largest tower crane rental companies.

Vince added “We will continue with the one day strikes to exert pressure on Wolffkran to come and talk to us.”

Unite represents workers in all areas of construction, and you can find out more at the Unite Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians website.

By Keith Hatch

Photos by Mark Thomas