Taylor Wimpey has asked around 50 directly employed joiners and scaffolders in the North East to sign new contracts on reduced terms after a routine pay audit found they were earning nearly 25% more than comparable roles.
The house builder said the discrepancy emerged from a regular benchmarking exercise covering Direct Labour roles. According to the company, a small number of positions in the region had terms and conditions significantly ahead of comparable rates and required review. The higher earnings were mainly made up of larger bonuses.
The proposed contracts have drawn criticism from the Unite union. Greg Robson, a regional officer for Unite, said Taylor Wimpey had serious questions to answer about how it has treated these workers. He said the union would continue to support affected members and press the company for information it is entitled to, adding that Unite was examining all avenues to fight the change, including industrial action.
Taylor Wimpey said the consultation process had been concluded fairly and openly and that it had consulted ACAS. A grievance has since been raised in line with the Construction Joint Industry Council Working Rule Agreement. The company said it was committed to engaging fully with employees before a final resolution is reached, and that a number of potential outcomes remained under consideration.
The builder added that it was committed to ensuring all employees are treated fairly and consistently across the business and throughout the process. The outcome for the affected workers has not been settled.