Talks to decide future of CSCS cards after chairman survives vote

Contractors and unions are to hold crunch talks in a fresh bid to oust Construction Skills Certification Scheme chairman Trevor Walker.

The talks follow August’s failed attempt to force Walker’s resignation by a number of CSCS board members. A motion to remove him failed to pass after Walker used his casting vote as chairman to tie the ballot and save himself.

CSCS chief executive Brian Adams, who is stepping down at Christmas, voted to support Walker, along with three union representatives and the clients’ group board member.

But CM has learned the unions may withdraw their support in return for a commitment from Walker’s opposers that they will develop the current CSCS card amid speculation that the UK Contractors Group wants to abandon it for its own scheme.

A source close to the row said: “Those opposed to Walker could meet with a sympathetic ear if they are committed to developing the CSCS card. The card needs to be much more rigorous in its health and safety requirements, for example, and if there is a commitment to that I suspect the unions will support the rebels. But any talk of establishing a new card when the current one has over a million users is a non-starter.”

UKCG chief executive Stephen Ratcliffe declined to comment on whether his organisation will set up an alternative skill card and refused to confirm upcoming talks with construction unions. He said: “We’re working very hard to resolve the situation. The UKCG is fully committed to having a card scheme that has the full support of all the industry.”

Comments

-With over 1,000,000 users already ,there is no way we are going to accept a new scheme. It would be so much better to restructure the management of the scheme than to bring in something new altogether.The cscs scheme should stand the taste of time just like RICS and CIOB.

9th Sep 2011, at 09:31 PM
YASIN MUBIRU

After working in government office departments, and being enforced by the Jobcentreplus to acquire a CSCS card that has "No Value". The fraud thats involved with the Data bank level has incurred to many times, within test centres where I have visited to be Insulted by the MD when investigating by phone. Corruption Strategy Cowboy Success is what its called by practically every person I have been associated with, that I have submitted complaints to Parliament to refund all money to every person who has been Robbed and abolish the false qualification.. This has enforced the majority of people from acquiring employment as they have been altering the answers before submitting to their head office. This information I acquired from a personal freind who works within Data Banking in Parliament and Banks..

9th Sep 2011, at 10:15 PM
Alan Curtis

Whilst I agree that the current CSCS card scheme could do more regarding H&S I also think it has come a long way in a short time, to make noises about the UKCG proposals for it's own scheme somewhat devalues the hard and important work already done within the construction industry by both CSCS and constructors.
Leave it alone but promote and enforce, this will drive H&S standards to an all time high, bringing in another scheme will set us all back 10 years.

David