The Joint Secretaries of the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) announce that they had reached an agreement on increases to wage rates following a detailed submission from the Union side.
After months of long and very difficult negotiations, BATJIC has reached an agreement that it considers to be fair to both sides.
The new basic hourly rates (based on a 39 hour week) and applying between Monday, 9 June 2008 and Sunday, 7
June 2009 will be:
|
S/NVQ3 Qualified Operative |
£10.41 |
(previously £10.06) |
|
S/NVQ2 Qualified Operative |
£8.95 |
(previously £8.65) |
|
Adult General Operative |
£7.73 |
(previously £7.40) |
The settlement also makes changes to skill rates, apprentice rates, daily fare allowances and death benefits.
Bob Blackman (the union side Joint Secretary) said:
"These negotiations were even more difficult this year than last and certainly the most difficult I have been involved with for some time. However, I am pleased that we have been able to reach an agreement that gives a meaningful increase in pay to construction workers across the UK, and one that continues to reward those who are prepared to undertake training and provide the skills that our industry needs."
Richard Diment (the employers' side Joint Secretary) said:
"The difficulties in reaching an agreement are a direct consequence of the economic difficulties the country is facing. In negotiation with our union colleagues, we had to strike a balance between the needs of the employees on whom our members' businesses depend, and who are suffering from rising prices and taxes, and the need to take into account the worrying drop in workloads experienced by members as a result of the credit crunch. Our members need to remain competitive in order to preserve jobs, they also need to be able to attract the skills that they need in order to continue to provide high quality building services. I feel confident that this agreement will achieve this."
27 May 2008
