Taylor Wimpey has asked around 50 joiners and scaffolders in the North East to sign new contracts on reduced terms, after a routine pay review found their earnings were well ahead of comparable roles.
The house builder said the finding emerged from a regular benchmarking exercise covering directly employed workers. It is understood the group concerned — roughly 50 tradespeople — was earning nearly 25% more than comparable roles, with the gap driven mainly by higher bonuses.
Union opposition
Unite has criticised the move. Regional officer Greg Robson said the company had “serious questions to answer about how it has treated these workers”, and that the union would keep supporting affected members while pressing Taylor Wimpey for the information it is entitled to. He added that Unite was examining “all avenues to fight this, including industrial action”.
Company position
Taylor Wimpey said the review identified “a small number of Direct Labour roles where current terms and conditions were significantly ahead of comparable rates and required review”. It said the consultation process had been concluded “fairly and openly” and that it had consulted ACAS.
The company said a grievance has since been raised in line with the Construction Joint Industry Council Working Rule Agreement. It said it is committed to engaging fully with employees before a final resolution is reached, and that a number of potential outcomes remain under consideration.
Taylor Wimpey added that it aims to ensure all employees are treated “fairly and consistently” across the business and throughout the process. The dispute is unresolved: the affected workers have been asked to sign the reduced terms, and Unite says it is considering all avenues, including industrial action.