Engineers protest against exploitation

The demonstrations took place at several London locations, including outside Business Secretary Lord Mandelson's office in Westminster, after it emerged that 20 workers on contract building a power station at Staythorpe in Nottinghamshire were underpaid by more than £1,000 a month.

Contractor Alstom blamed the errors on its Italian subcontractor Somi, but added that the issue had been resolved and the back pay given to those who were shortchanged.

However, general union GMB warned that employers in the industry were seeking to undermine national agreements, claiming to have evidence of "undercutting."

The union's leader Paul Kenny said: "GMB has on numerous occasions advised employers and the government that undercutting is happening.

"The findings at Staythorpe demonstrate that some employers set out to undermine the national agreement not only on pay but also on safe construction.

"The protests are to say clearly that we will not be fobbed off any more."

He added that heads should roll, undercutting should stop and the unemployed British workforce be put to work.

GMB regional organiser Andy Fletcher said: "Now that Somi has been caught, it is not acceptable for them just to pay back the money they denied their own workers.

"Somi must now be kicked off the Staythorpe project and indeed every other project within Britain.

"The findings will only further exacerbate a very tense situation on the site."

Alstrom has firmly denied that undercutting is happening.