Employers step up pay offer to 15.7%

by John d'Arcy



Building and civil engineering employers have come forward with revised and improved proposals for a new, longer-term national pay settlement. They have raised their opening offer of 12.4% on basic rates over three years to 15.7%.

This would take the present craft basic rate of £6.05 per hour to £6.20 this June and to £7 in the year 2002.

Commenting on the latest round of pay talks, UCATT general secretary George Brumwell said: "There was some marginal progress, but there is still a lot of clarification needed. What is on the table at present does still not provide all the makings of a three-year agreement.

"The big issues include holiday pay, sick pay, and recognition. We want an across the board increase. We have also raised the issue of clawback. There is a commitment to a stakeholder pension. But what does that actually mean?"

One of the sticking points on the union side is that the employers are still offering an increase of only 2.5% this year. Their revised offer would give a further basic rate increase of 5.6% next year and 6.9% in the third year.

Negotiations under the Construction Industry Joint Council are scheduled to resume on 17 May. In the meantime, Brumwell said he would hold further informal talks with the employers to clarify a number of points.