Construction workers claim victory over Urenco

The workers were in dispute with Jacobs and the Urenco after an attempt to renege on bonus payments and dispute resolution procedures, which are part of the national agreement for the engineering construction industry.

The agreement has been in existence for more than 30 years and sets terms and conditions for construction workers, but the removal of the bonus would have seen workers on the project lose around £100 a week.

But following the workers' two-week campaign and mass protests and lobbying from their unions Unite, GMB and Ucatt the companies agreed to implement the national agreement in full.

Unite regional officer Steve Benson welcomed the "significant victory." He praised the workers' "fantastic" commitment.

He said: "By standing together construction workers stopped Jacobs and Urenco from watering down the national agreement, which gives this vital industry the stability which it needs.

"Unite is going to continue to fight to defend the national agreement wherever employers attempt to undermine it."

Urenco are building a huge Tails Management Facility for the containment of nuclear waste at the Capenhurst site.