Blue book construction workers to receive an extra £1 per Hour
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Workers operating under the Blue Book agreement have accepted contractors’ offer of an extra £1 per hour cost of living increase but this does not nearly match inflation.
Following a series of pay freezes and below-inflation pay rises, industrial tensions had increased across the 7,000-strong workforce.
Under the deal between unions and employers in the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) the extra cost of living rate will apply from now until 30 June.
Engineering construction workers operating under the National Agreement for Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) have secured a significant cost of living increase.
Industrial tension continue
Following a series of pay freezes and below inflation pay rises, industrial tensions had increased across the workforce.
In response Unite, the UK’s leading union, held detailed negotiations with the employers side of the NAECI agreement. It was finally agreed that workers will receive a supplementary payment of an extra £1 for every hour worked between now and 30 June. After that date the supplementary payment will become 75 pence an hour.
Significant increase
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a significant increase in pay for workers, who have benefited from making a collective stand and forced their employers to take action on the cost of living crisis.
“The introduction of the supplementary payments underlines how Unite’s ruthless concentration on enhancing the pay of its members is bearing direct benefits for workers.”
Continuing disputes
Despite the acceptance by members of the supplementary payment, local disputes over bonus payments involving NAECI workers, including at Drax, Grangemouth, Torness, and Mossmoran, will continue, as workers continue to seek a further increase in bonus payments.
The ongoing local action will put additional pressure on employers to resolve the enduring tensions with the agreement when talks begin later this year for a new pay agreement, which is due to come into effect in January 2024.
Unite national officer Jason Poulter commented saying that:
“The agreement of the supplementary payment was an important breakthrough for our members, who have been struggling to make ends meet.
“However employers must not be under any misapprehension that this will resolve the fundamental issues of fair pay which underlines this dispute. Local disputes to increase bonus payments will continue and employers must understand that until a fair permanent wage deal is agreed, industrial tensions will remain.”
