CIF says 20% cut in pay could lead to 20,000 jobs

THE Construction Industry Federation has told the Labour Court a 20% reduction in the minimum wage rate for general operatives will help restore some of the 200,000 jobs lost in the industry over the last two years.

It is understood that members of the CIF are demanding its leadership withdraw from the legally-binding Registered Employment Agreement, which sets rates of pay in the industry unless the labour cost to them is reduced substantially.

Speaking before he went into the Labour Court to apply for the reduction, CIF director general Tom Parlon said the situation could not continue in which general operatives without experience were earning a bigger start-off wage than qualified accountants, qualified nurses, and graduate engineers.