The Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Plant is the UK’s largest nuclear construction project and a critical part of the nation’s clean energy future. To support Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors working on this highly regulated and complex project, Mactech was appointed to deliver a Total Workforce Solution, leveraging our deep understanding of collective agreements and industrial relations.

Our role went beyond traditional recruitment. Mactech provided UK-based resource pools, payroll facilities, compliance with sector agreements, and a fully aligned recruitment and sub-contract labour solution. Additionally, we offered consultancy, project management, and in-scope personnel, ensuring full alignment with the project’s regulatory requirements and skills matrices.

Mactech faced several key challenges in supporting the contractors at Hinkley Point C:

Navigating Complex Sector Agreements
The project required strict adherence to various sector agreements, including the Engineering Construction Sector Agreement (ECSA), Civil Engineering Sector Agreement (CESA), Supervisory Sector Agreement (SSA), and the Site Operatives Agreement (SOA). Mactech had to ensure that all personnel and payroll operations complied with these agreements.

Maintaining Strong Industrial Relations
The scale of the project required close collaboration between clients, unions, and employees. Mactech’s extensive experience working within the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) allowed us to forge healthy industrial relations, ensuring smooth workforce management and resolving any issues between clients and unions.

Delivering a Total Workforce Solution
Beyond just providing personnel, Mactech was tasked with managing project consultancy, welfare support, and ensuring that all personnel were Suitably Qualified and Experienced Persons (SQEP) with strict alignment to the project’s skills matrices. This comprehensive approach required extensive coordination and integration with the project’s specific security and compliance requirements.

Mactech’s Total Workforce Solution at Hinkley Point C went beyond a traditional recruitment service. We delivered:

Expertise in Sector Agreements and Compliance
Mactech’s thorough understanding of collective agreements and sector-specific rules enabled us to provide daily support to our clients in complying with the project’s Common Framework Agreement. This included managing the workforce in line with ECSA, CESA, SSA, and SOA, ensuring full compliance and effective workforce management.

Comprehensive Resource and Payroll Management
Mactech provided a UK-based resource pool and managed payroll facilities for Tier 1 and Tier 2 contractors, ensuring full PAYE compliance. Our payroll services were externally audited, offering transparency and reassurance to our clients.

Industrial Relations and Welfare Support
Leveraging our expertise in NAECI, we maintained healthy industrial relations between clients and unions, ensuring a smooth and conflict-free working environment. We also provided comprehensive welfare support for our workforce, ensuring that their needs were met throughout the project’s various phases.

Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP)
All personnel provided by Mactech were vetted to meet the project’s skills matrices and security clearance requirements. This ensured that every member of the workforce was qualified to work on a project of this scale and importance.