THERE were tailbacks on the roads near an industrial site in Redcar this morning (Monday, February 23) as union members protested against rates of pay for foreign employees.

The GMB, UCATT and Unite protests were outside the Wilton International chemical and industrial site and were focused on the Sita Sembcorp company which is building a £250m energy from waste plant in the area.

Members of the unions are upset at what they say are low rates being paid to foreign workers and the difficulty local construction workers have of gaining employment.

Several hundred workers are believed to have taken part. Police said the protests were peaceful.

The action caused traffic problems around the Greystones roundabout between Lazenby and Kirkleatham and elsewhere on the A174.

Gridlocked motorists reported delays of up to an hour as the protest took place at the gates of the Wilton International site near Redcar.

Michael Blench, GMB Regional officer said "Sita is not playing fair by the Teesside workforce. Sita has discriminated against them by giving them no chance to get up to three-quarters of the 400 jobs on the site at the construction phase of the job. Teesside has the highest unemployment rate in the country, and the skilled local unemployed labour force had high expectations of employment on the project from the very start."

Sita Sembcorp argued the protests were unjustified. Andy Stokes, project director at the company, said: “We have made it clear that contrary to their (the protesters') claims, more than two thirds of the workers on site are from the UK and all workers on our site have rates of pay equivalent or higher to each of their relevant national agreements."

About 350 construction workers are employed on the Sita Sembcorp Wilton site by 18 different contractors.