A nationwide campaign to resist an attempt by the Construction Industry Federation to slash workers' wages by up to 40% and down to the level of the minimum wage will begin within days.

The campaign, which will include general meetings on building sites across the country, will be co-coordinated by a sub-group of the Construction Industry Committee of Congress (CICC) involving representatives drawn from all unions in the industry, including SIPTU, BATU, Unite, TEEU, UCCAT and OPATSI.

SIPTU organiser and CICC Secretary, James Coughlan, said: "This campaign will involve meetings on building sites across the country. At these meetings workers will be informed of the threat to their livelihoods and consulted on what actions should be taken to combat attempts by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) to drive wages down by up to 40%."

Late last month the CIF sent the CICC a letter outlining their demands, which include;

• All building workers wage rates reduced by 20%

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• New entrants to the industry to be paid the statutory minimum wage of €8.65 per hour rather than the current hourly pay rate of €13.77. This is a reduction of nearly 40%.

• Overtime would apply only after nine hours work Monday to Thursday and eight hours on Friday (it currently applies after eight hours work Monday to Friday), with time and a half to apply until 4.00 p.m.) on Saturday (currently double time is paid on Saturday after 2.00 p.m.).

• Starting times would be 7.00 a.m., at the employers' discretion, with crane drivers to start up to two hours before others.

• Travelling allowance would be paid only after 10 miles (rather than five miles) with a maximum payment of one hour per day. Employees would have to work atleast eight hours to qualify for a travel allowance.

SIPTU Utilities and Construction Division Organiser, Christy McQuillan, described the CIF demands as "an outrageous attack on workers' livelihoods".

Congress Industrial Officer, Fergus Whelan, said: "What the CIF is really about with their list of demands is getting rid of the construction industry’s Registered Employment Agreement. They want to deregulate the construction industry so that everyone is working on the minimum wage.

"Our Committee will discuss the employers demand with every worker - employed and unemployed - in the Irish construction industry. We will urge them to resist this attempt to return our industry to the Nineteenth Century.

"Many of the employers demanding these cuts are bankrupt, or are on big retainer fees from NAMA. They are carrying out no construction work at present. What the Irish construction industry needs is investment and responsible employers who will carry out much needed infrastructural projects, such as hospitals, schools and public transport projects, to a very high standard with a skilled, productive and hardworking workforce," Fergus Whelan added.

(CD/GK)