Scunthorpe British Steel Actavo scaffolders strike enters 11th week

The strike action by more than 60 Actavo employees began at the British Steel works on 4 October

Dozens of picketing scaffolders are striking for an 11th week outside a steel plant in a dispute over pay.

The Unite union has claimed the workers at British Steel's Scunthorpe site are paid up to 15% below the nationally-agreed rate by contractor Actavo.

Industrial action began on 4 October and the union said it would continue until the employer met its demands.

A spokesperson from Actavo said talks had been held with Unite and the firm was "keen to work on negotiations".

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Scaffolders maintain more than 500 structures at the Scunthorpe site, according to Unite.

One person on the picket line in North Lincolnshire said the scaffolders have had "mixed" support from workers at British Steel.

"A lot of our members who are on this gate have worked here for a long time, some 20 to 30 years," he said.

"We haven't pushed for a big pay rise, we haven't pushed for anything really. We've not had a proper pay rise in 15 years, but we've supported this site and that's why we want support from everybody on this site."

He added: "We're not doing this to cause problems. We're doing this because it's what we deserve."

Unite said Actavo was paying the scaffolders between 10-15% below the wage figure in the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry.

In response, an Actavo spokesperson said the national agreement did not apply.

"We understand Unite agreed the current rates on a localised collective bargaining basis," the spokesperson said.

"The hourly rate enjoyed by the employees of circa £15 is, we believe, broadly on a par with the national average for scaffolding works in the steel-making sector."

Almost 3,000 people work at the site in Scunthorpe, which was taken over in a £50m deal by Chinese steel maker Jingye Group in March last year.

A British Steel spokesperson said of the continuing strike action: "We have contingencies in place and it will not impact on production."