New construction SEO will see wage rises

A new Sectoral Employment Order (SEO) for the construction industry has been agreed between representatives of employers and workers which will come into force in February 2020.

The SEO includes two sets of pay rises for all grades of construction workers, the initial round of increases will come into force on 1st February 2022, with a second round of improvements in pay in February 2023.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, John Regan, said: “The SEO structure is valuable not just for workers but for the industry in general as it takes wages out of competition in the tendering system and prevents rogue employers from undercutting the majority of decent employers on the basis of having the lowest paid workers.

“It also provides a stable structure by which pay can be determined collectively, thus improving the terms for all workers covered by an SEO across the entire industry. The value of this, in an industry where work is insecure and on a project to project basis, cannot be underestimated.”

He added: “SIPTU representatives will be to the forefront in ensuring that construction and related workers get the full benefit of these new SEO terms.”