General secretary-elect Alan Ritchie says health and safety and immigrant welfare are priorities for union

UCATT general secretary-elect Alan Ritchie says he will crack down on the exploitation of migrant workers in the UK construction industry.

Ritchie, who was voted head of the UK’s leading construction union last week with a two-to-one majority, said that immigrant welfare must remain a priority. He said: “I welcome migrant workers to the UK, but when they come here and are exploited on appalling wages it becomes unacceptable.”

Ritchie said that as the union’s regional officer for Scotland he had got to know at first hand how migrant workers were treated. He said some he had helped had been paid £2.50 an hour.

He said: “I am determined to continue the good work of George Brumwell and will work to ensure that migrant workers receive the appropriate training and employment conditions.”

He said he was keen to keep close ties to government and work with employers to ensure the welfare of migrant workers.

Ritchie added that health and safety standards ought to be improved. He said: “Health and safety is one of our major priorities and there needs to be a new impetus across the construction industry to make sure safety standards and training are improved for foreign workers and UK workers.”

The chancellor, Gordon Brown, is expected to attend a workers’ memorial service on Wednesday at the headquarters of the union in Clapham, south London.

Two stained glass windows will be unveiled in memory of workers, including some 80 in the past year, who have lost their lives while working on sites.

Brumwell said he was delighted to welcome Ritchie as his successor.

He said: “UCATT is the major union in the construction industry and the lead union in the working rule agreement for the construction industry, which covers wages and conditions for hundreds of thousands of workers.”

Ritchie won 66.4% of the vote in a head-to-head ballot with London regional organiser Michael Dooley. There was a 19% turnout.