Balfour Beatty accused of delaying Woolwich Crossrail site by unions

The opening of the new Crossrail station in Woolwich will almost certainly be delayed as a result of Balfour Beatty's refusal to resolve an industrial dispute with its employees, trade union Unite said.

The dispute, which involves 76 electricians working for Balfour Beatty who had chosen to take strike action, is over a fight for an improved second-tier payment and a four-week finishing bonus, payable to workers when made redundant.

Balfour Beatty's electricians had already held two 24 hour strikes in January, with three further strikes called for throughout February, causing widespread disruption and delays at the Woolwich station construction site and on other related sections of the Crossrail development.

But Balfour Beatty had shown "no inclination in progressing negotiations to resolve the dispute", according to Unite.

On the industrial dispute, Unite national officer Jerry Swain said, "The blasé attitude of Balfour Beatty’s management is breathtaking. They appear to have absolutely no desire nor inclination to resolve this dispute."

"Unless Balfour Beatty come to the table and resolves the strike action then there is no way the Woolwich Crossrail station will be ready to open on time," he said.

The entire £14.8bn Crossrail project is already facing wider delays, the Mayor's office also admitted on Friday due to an electrical design error.

Speaking to the London Assembly Transport Committee, deputy mayor for transport Val Shawcross said: "The energisation of the scheme was supposed to be started so that would pave the way for more testing," she said, but said the equipment failed to function and led to the unearthing of "a design error in the equipment".

Crossrail remained confident that the section between Paddington station and Abbey Wood would still open in December, Shawcross said.

Balfour Beatty has had its hands full of late after the collapse of Carillion, leaving the FTSE 250 company and Galliford Try to pick up the piece on the £550m joint venture to build the Aberdeen ring road, requiring an outstanding cash contribution of £60-80m to complete the project.

Balfour, which was also partner with the doomed Carillion on the A14 in Cambridgeshire and the M60 Junction 8 to M62 Junction 20 scheme, said its cash impact on this project would be an outflow of £35-45m in 2018 as it continues to work to meet its contractual commitments.

Balfour has been contacted for comment.

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