Specialists sound skills alarm

Increased skills shortages, a high level of complaints about abuse of the retentions system, and a warning on e-mail bidding are the dominant features of the latest state of trade survey carried out for the National Specialist Contractors Council.

The survey covers the first quarter of this year and shows 80% of firms reporting serious difficulties in recruiting skilled labour. A tenth of respondents said they had been unable to bid for work because of these shortages.

The survey found that the biggest number of vacancies is in managerial, professional and technical positions. Then the main skill shortages are listed among plasterers and glaziers.

The survey indicates a general increase in enquiries, orders and future workload expectations.

Retentions abuse is reported by 75% of all the specialists surveyed. Just over half still complain of Dutch auctions and pay-when-paid contract clauses.

The survey was carried out by Ian Murdoch of Northumbria University.

"For the first time we have reported a reverse e-mail technique of bid peddling and wonder if this is the first swallow of a particular summer. The effects of e-commerce practices on the post-Latham culture will be an interesting area to watch," he said.