UK govt accused of 'negligence' for allowing building sites to open

The Unite union said builders faced a "health emergency" by being compelled to travel to work on crowded public transport and working at close quarters with colleagues after the government imposed a lockdown on Monday.

Builders are exempted as they cannot work at home and many construction sites have stayed open. London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Wednesday said he had been blocked by the government from ordering a halt to all work in the capital.

Unite assistant general-secretary Gail Cartmail said construction workers faced "a stark choice arising from negligence".

"That means they risk their health, or face the prospect of job loss, hardship and hunger. By construction workers being compelled to work unprotected and travel, the lack of government safety coordination, is risking their health, the health of their families and the health of the general public."

Unite said the policy of social distancing has collapsed on many construction sites with workers displaying pictures of overcrowded buses, queues to enter sites, packed canteens and working in close proximity contrary to guidance on self-distancing.

"There are also major public health concerns about large number of construction workers travelling on the tube in London," it added.

"Contractors also have a moral duty to ensure that all the workers on their sites are safe and financially protected. No worker should have to make a life or death decision arising from government or contractor negligence."

Unite wants the government to extend its wage assistance scheme, where employees receive 80% of salary through a government grant, to cover the industry's one million workers currently paid via the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

The scheme, a standalone arrangement for the industry, classes workers as self-employed but their wages are taxed by 20% at source. They are then entitled to make a claim for self-employed expenses.

Unite, which calls the scheme "bogus self-employment" said the major beneficiaries building companies who did not have to pay employees’ national insurance contributions of 13.8%.

"The problems facing construction is made more complex as most major construction contractors employ few if any workers directly, with work being subcontracted and workers engaged by these sub-contractors and in some cases agencies,"it said.