Hundreds Locked Out in Hinkley Point C Protest Until Monday

Hundreds of MEH Alliance workers at Hinkley Point C were told not to return until next Monday after a canteen sit-in over clocking-in safety concerns. The hinkley point c protest followed workers’ complaints about how they were being required to clock in and out at the nuclear site.

Site management sent the protesting group away without pay for a week, while other construction workers continued as normal across the site. Workers said the dispute centers on arrangements they believe leave them exposed in a crane-lift zone.

Hinkley Point C workforce lockout

A Hinkley Point C spokesperson said, “We have experienced unofficial industrial action being taken by members of the MEH workforce.” The same spokesperson said, “There are well established processes with trade unions to resolve any workplace concerns and unofficial action is not acceptable. As a result, MEH workers have been told not to return to site until Monday. Other construction workers continue to work as normal across the site.”

The spokesperson also said, “Along with our trades union partners and MEH management team we encourage a return to following the agreed processes.” The company said, “the clocking-out safety concerns have been investigated and there was found to be no risk to workers while it was common to have a police presence at the site.”

Police presence at Hinkley Point C

Workers shared photos of a fleet of police cars after a heavy police presence was visible the next day. The company said that presence was common at the site, but workers described the lockout as a penalty for raising safety and fatigue concerns.

One worker said, “Hundreds of safety-conscious nuclear construction workers have been locked out without pay for raising legitimate hazard and fatigue concerns.” MEH staff have also voted to reject new shift patterns, adding another unresolved point to the dispute.

MEH shift-pattern vote

The sit-in, the lockout, and the vote against new shift patterns leave the same issue at the center of the dispute: how MEH workers enter, leave, and organize their shifts at Hinkley Point C. For the workers sent away without pay, Monday is the first chance to find out whether management will bring them back under the same processes or face the same objections again.