Building body urges wage action to boost job growth

THE Government is coming under further pressure over its plans to reform the Joint Labour Committee (JLC) system as the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said proposals to overhaul the system were “totally inadequate”.

The CIF said plans announced by Enterprise Minister Richard Bruton to revise pay agreements for some sectors of the economy would not help achieve the necessary competitive gains, or address the construction industry’s financial difficulties.

The organisation, which represents more than 3,000 building firms, criticised the Government’s focus on low-paid sectors governed by the JLC system, which it said would leave the industry “stranded with high costs”.