The announcement that the Royal Liverpool Hospital is unlikely to be completed this year is ‘the stark reality’ of what Carillion’s collapse means for the construction industry and local communities.
As a result of the announcement, Unite, the UK’s construction union, has renewed its call on the government to increase help and assistance to the supply chain and sub-contractors, which have been left reeling by Carillion’s demise.
The confirmation on the delay to the Liverpool hospital coincided with the appearance of Carillion’s leadership before the joint business and work and pensions select committee.
Unite assistant general secretary, Gail Cartmail, said: “The announcement that the Royal Liverpool Hospital is unlikely to be finished this year is the stark reality of what Carillion’s collapse means to the industry and communities.
“The expected long delays before work is restarted will place even greater financial stress on sub-contractors who have already lost thousands due to Carillion’s collapse. This is already resulting in workers being laid off and skills being lost from the industry, while communities are being denied world class medical facilities that are urgently needed.
“The government and its taskforce need to prioritise how stalled projects are restarted and what other support can be given to protect jobs and skills in Carillion’s supply chain which are at increasing risk of being lost.
“Restarting Carillion’s public sector construction projects will undoubtedly result in additional costs and the government needs to underwrite these costs.
“The appearance of Carillion’s leadership in front of the select committee demonstrated why we must have a public inquiry into how and why Carillion collapsed.
“For workers who have already lost their jobs, or who are still facing redundancy, it must be sickening to be told that all of Carillion’s bosses believed their performance was exemplary and the company’s collapse was not their fault. Quite frankly, they are living in a parallel universe.”
