Migrant workers ‘paid below minimum wage’ at SSE windfarm

Migrant workers hired by a subcontractor to build SSE’s Beatrice windfarm in Scotland did not have the correct immigration documents and were paid below minimum wage, it has been reported.

According to an article in The Guardian, Russian workers were brought to the UK to work on the £2.6 billion offshore windfarm on seafarer identity documents. These documents are intended for foreign crew leaving UK waters immediately, instead of official permits required by workers entering the UK from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

In a relaxation of immigration rules the Home Office granted a six-month, time-limited waiver to the windfarm industry to use non-EEA workers on 21 April 2017. This has been extended several times and is now in effect until April next year.

Furthermore The Guardian claims to have seen contracts issued to some of the migrants by SSE’s subcontractor – Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) – and an agent to the Russian workers, which set rates of pay at a “fraction of the UK minimum wage”.

Following the revelations SSE said it took any potential breach of UK immigration law “extremely seriously”.

A spokesperson said: “SSE, and its project partners, take any potential breach of UK immigration law by its contractors extremely seriously and each of Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd’s (BOWL) suppliers is contractually required to fully comply with UK law, including obtaining all relevant work permits and paying at least the national minimum wage.

“SSE, along with its BOWL partners, took action as soon as the issue came to light to ensure SHL was meeting its contractual and legal obligations.”

SSE’s subcontractor SHL said the company was committed to carrying out its business in an ethical manner in “strict compliance” with applicable legislation.

“We have been working closely with the Home Office and relevant industry bodies regarding industry-wide concerns raised around the employment of non-EEA nationals working in UK territorial waters,” said a spokesperson.

“The Home Office granted a non-specific and industry wide concession in April of 2017, which was extended until April 2019 and we continue to work with the relevant authorities and industry bodies to ensure we meet all applicable regulations.”

A Home Office spokesperson added: “We are committed to delivering an immigration system which works in the best interests of the country.

“The Home Office agreed to grant a concession as a temporary arrangement, outside of the immigration rules, to workers deemed to be essential to the construction and maintenance of windfarms within territorial waters. This temporary arrangement was put in place to give the windfarm industry the opportunity to take steps to regularise its arrangements for their employees.

“The continued need for the concession is kept under review.”

In response to the case, RenewableUK’s executive director, Emma Pinchbeck, said:“It is completely unacceptable for any company in any industry to pay below the minimum wage.

“Industry also has a duty to ensure that their workers are legally-entitled to work on UK projects. Renewables companies want to build an energy industry which is better for people and the environment: that must include our workers.

“There should be zero tolerance of anything less than the highest employment standards.”