HUNDREDS of Hinkley C workers could be set to go on strike in an ongoing row over wages.

Unite, a workers’ Union, has sent round a flyer to Hinkley C workers which says workers deserve a bonus and performance allowance and states “if no agreement can be reached, then all options, including industrial action will be considered”.

French energy firm EDF says it has been working closely with the unions throughout the project and say the decision to issue the leaflet was ‘surprising’ given negotiations were still ongoing.

“We were surprised and disappointed to learn that this leaflet was being circulated when discussions with our trade union partners are still in progress,” an EDF spokesman said.

The Mercury has seen a copy of the flyer which has been handed round to workers which states ‘The bosses can’t be allowed to build Hinkley on the cheap’.

The flyer adds: “Hinkley is one of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects in Europe. Workers should be paid a fair wage for their skills and effort. We have demanded a meeting with the Tier One contractors, and will fully consult with our members throughout the negotiations.”

Unite says it has been negotiating for six months for Hinkley C civil engineering workers to receive a bonus/performance allowance as part of their work on Europe’s largest construction site, and it had hoped to reach an agreement with EDF over the payments last month, but have hit a stumbling block after the contractors demanded a further £250 million to deliver the performance allowance payments.

A Unite spokesman added: “We cannot comment further on the pay deal because negotiations are ongoing, however there was news issued from the management side of the company and we had to put out a response and that is why the flyer was produced.”

EDF, Unite and GMB initially agreed a deal over the pay for the Hinkley C labour force in 2013.

Hinkley C is expected to create more than 25,000 jobs during the construction phase, and bring a £1.5 billion economic boost to the South West region during its construction, and £4 billion throughout its operation.

The plan is for the £18 billion project to be fully operational in 2025. The nuclear power plant, which is being developed by EDF in partnership with Chinese state-owned firm CGN, was given the green light after prolonged negotiations in September last year.

Hinkley C is one the government’s flagship energy projects, and is expected to provide 7 per cent of the UK’s total electricity.
EDF’s contract with the government guarantees the firm a ‘strike price’ of £92.50 per megawatt hour (Mwh) for the electricity that Hinkley Point C generates. 

It is hoped 60 per cent of the construction value will flow into UK firms.