Wembley snag again as workers are laid off

The much-delayed construction of the new Wembley stadium hit yet another snag as hundreds of workers were told they would be laid off next week because of a dispute between contractors over pay.

Union officials said steelworkers, scaffolders and welders at the site were given notice that their employment would be terminated next Tuesday because sub-contractors had not been paid.

The GMB union said its members had been told they were being laid off because their employers lacked sufficient funds to pay their wages. Tom Kelly, a national officer at the union, said: "We have instructed our members to carry on working normally."

The Wembley Stadium construction group Multiplex said the dispute was between a steel sub-contractor and an employment agency. The Australian firm said: "This is an issue between Hollandier and Fasttrack and affects around 120 of our workers at Wembley.

"We are looking to our steel subcontractor, Hollandier, for continuity of works and have just met with the shop stewards who have given Multiplex an assurance that they will continue to work while Hollandier discuss the issues with Fasttrack."