Insurance scheme gets backing

Leaders of both construction employers and operatives have united to support the introduction of an industry-wide redundancy insurance scheme.

The Construction Confederation has identified the idea as "essential" if the issue of the industry's poor image is to be addressed. It has suggested the insurance plan might be managed by the Building and Civil Engineering Benefits Company in conjunction with its holidays-with-pay and pension schemes.

David Stopford, industrial relations director at the Construction Confederation, commented: "This is something we are looking to take up with the B&CE benefits company. We also want to discuss the issue of pensions."In the short term, we have to resolve the question of the implementation of the European Working Time Directive and how that impinges on the company's holidays-with-pay arrangements. There are various matters the employers wish to discuss with the unions. But there remains a difficulty because the unions have still not resolved the matter of their representation on the industry's national joint council."

George Brumwell, general secretary of Ucatt, said: "This is something which is practised in Australia. And we believe it is necessary in this country."