pic Will Howlett

Mechanical and Electrical workers have voted by 67 percent on Balfour Beatty sites for strike action.

This follows another overwhelming vote for strike action at the end of November last year.

Balfour Beatty immediately challenged the ballot. Unite and the company were in court on Thursday.

The construction giant, which, in recent weeks, has seen new contracts worth millions of pounds roll in is using the anti-trade union laws to stop the strike.

The case was adjourned until next Tuesday 7 February.

Electricians have been protesting for almost six months now over eight electrical contracting companies decision to rip up the J.I.B. national agreement.

Their campaign has involved walkouts, picketing, site occupations, and marches.

This morning the protests continued outside Balfour Beatty’s Blackfriars station site in London , and SSI (Corus) on Teesside.

The electricians are gearing up for a big demonstration outside of the Electrical Contractors Association dinner at The Grosvenor Hotel in London on Wednesday 15 February.

Last time the official strike was stopped, workers organised an unofficial day of action with walkouts and picket lines on sites around the country.

The protests have continued to spread with some 100 people protesting outside a site in central Leeds on Wednesday – their first such protest.

This Saturday there is a national rank and file meeting in Birmingham for open to all construction workers and supportive trade unionists:

1pm, Saturday 4 February, Carrs Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands B4 7SX

Solidarity:

Send donations to: Cheques can be made payable to ‘Joint Sites Committee’ and sent to 70 Darnay Rise, Chelmsford , Essex CM1 4XA

Messages of support: siteworkers@virginmedia.com