Tea break costs workers their jobs

Union leaders meet employers this week in a bid to win back the jobs of 50 workers sacked after they took a tea break.

Steel erectors working on the pounds 50m Avonmouth Bridge widening scheme on the M5 near Bristol got their marching orders after claiming they were entitled to down tools for 10 minutes. But the London-based building firm Kvaerner said the steelmen were in breach of their contracts. The two sides are due to meet with the National Joint Council, which represents the construction industry, on Wednesday. Kvaerner said the men took too long to walk from the bridge to their brew-up. Steel erectors have been bussed down from Scotland to take over the sacked men's pounds 6.40-an-hour jobs.