Subcontractor pay rises in May, M&E sees biggest jump
16:44 10 Jun 2009
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Earnings among the main subcontractor trades rose again during May, according to the latest pay trends survey of 35,000 self employed workers by Hudson Contract.
Nationally, 64% of labour-only self-employed subcontractors saw an increase in gross earnings with 36% realising a drop in pay.
Regionally, the North East saw an average trade pay rise of 2.9% compared to three months ago. The North West was up 2.1% and the South West 1.7% for the same quarter.
The Midlands showed a fractional decrease in average pay of -0.8% while London and the South East dropped 2.6%
The highest earning sectors overall were Mechanical and Electrical. In both the Midlands and the South East their earnings were respectively £1,055.04 (though this was down 5.8% from three months ago) and £1,174.16 (down 9% from three months ago).
However, the recession has had a marked impact on the average wages in other sectors, as workloads drop off.
Shopfitters, normally among the highest weekly earners, saw their gross pay fall 17.5% to £704.25 in the North East, while rates in the South West were at £644.95, an increase on three months ago. Even so, shopfitters in the South East (including London) are still earning a healthy £920.36.