THE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING construction contractors has expressed extreme disappointment at the decision of Unite union members to take part in industrial action this week, saying its members have been “targeted” by the union.

Yesterday the Unite union, which represents plumbers, fitters and welders on construction projects across Ireland, said 90% of its members had voted in favour of industrial action with the aim of restoring payment for the first hour of travel time.

Unite said it would be serving notice of the action to the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors’ Association (MEBSCA).

The action will initially comprise a series of one-day stoppages at large construction sites around the country, a union spokesperson said, adding that “while the specific sites have not yet been determined, the disputes committee has decided to exclude residential projects in light of the current housing crisis”.

“The decision to ballot for industrial action came after talks with MEBSCA broke down at the beginning of July,” Unite said in a statement.

Today, MEBSCA said it was “extremely disappointed that its members are yet again being targeted by Unite for additional increases in pay”.

“It is only eight months since MEBSCA entered into an agreement with Unite, which will yield pay increases for Unite members of 12.7%. Unite is now seeking to double this increase despite the fact that this agreement does not expire until May 2026,” a spokesperson for the association said.

MEBSCA said its members pay a travel allowance on top of pay and that they made an agreement with Unite in 2011, “which incorporated the first hour of travel into hourly rates”.

“This agreement had the effect of increasing the hourly rate which also resulted in a higher rate being paid for overtime and holidays.”

MEBSCA said that Unite is now seeking to maintain that higher rate of pay “while also seeking to reverse the agreement that was freely entered into by Unite at that time”. 

The statement added that no other union is seeking additional increases and that taking industrial action against MEBSCA members, “whose employees enjoy higher rates of pay in addition to being paid travel allowances, will only result in contracts being awarded to non-MEBSCA members”. 

MEBSCA said it will continue to honour all agreements and urged Unite to do the same.

“We also urge Unite to withdraw the threat of industrial action and to use the tried and tested industrial relations bodies of the WRC and/or the Labour Court to assist in resolving this dispute.”