Construction

Registered Employment Agreement (Construction Industry Wages & Conditions of Employment) and (Construction Industry Pensions Assurance & Sick Pay)

Parties to Agreements

These REAs have been agreed on behalf of their members between the Construction Industry Federation and sixteen separate trade unions operating on behalf of members working in the construction industry.

Application

They apply to workers who are employed by a building or civil engineering firm as construction operatives or construction craftsmen. The latter category includes bricklayers, stonelayers, carpenters and joiners, floorlayers, glaziers, painters, plasterers, plumbers, slaters and tilers, stonecutters, woodcutting machinists and apprentices to the foregoing craftsmen.

Remuneration

Minimum Pay

Rates of minimum pay vary depending on job type. Full details relating to statutory minimum rates of pay for each job class are set out in the REA.

Overtime Rates

Employees are entitled to time-and-a-half for any overtime worked to midnight, Monday to Friday and double time thereafter. For work on Saturdays, employees are entitled to be paid time-and-a-half for the first four hours from the normal starting and double time thereafter until normal starting time on Monday morning.  See REA for full details on same.

Conditions of Employment

Working hours

The normal working week is 39 hours per week.

Rest Periods

All employees are entitled to breaks and rest periods in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.

Holidays

Annual leave and public holiday entitlements are in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Act,1997. Employees are also entitled to one additional day’s annual leave.

Ten days’ annual leave are to be taken in July, four days at Christmas, five days at Easter (including Good Friday) and the balance as may be agreed between employer and employee.

Sick Pay Scheme

All employees with at least 13 weekly contributions in the six months immediately preceding the initial date of disability are entitled to benefit under a Sick Pay Scheme. Employees are entitled to a daily benefit for a period of not more than 10 weeks. There is no entitlement to the scheme for the first three working days of disability unless it is deemed a continuous claim. Employees’ claims under the scheme must be made in writing and accompanied by a medical certificate.  For more details on same, see REA.

Miscellaneous

The REAs deals with other issues, such as absenteeism, bereavement leave, compensation for loss of tools, country money and travelling expenses. It also contains provisions in relation to pension and mortality benefits and a guaranteed payment for making oneself available even though work is prevented by inclement weather. See REA for more details.