Building firms can be good eggs at Easter

A joint initiative between building companies and construction union UCATT is urging employers to take family-friendly policies on board over the Easter break.

Companies covered by the working rule agreement (WRA) drawn up by the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) normally give workers a four-day Easter break from Good Friday to Easter Monday. But because the Easter weekend is unusually early this year, it does not coincide with the spring school holiday – which could cause problems for workers with school-age children.

“Construction workers with families often have difficulty in arranging childcare during school holidays,” said UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie, who is also secretary of the operative side of the CIJC. “This will cause additional problems and could affect their performance.”

Now the CJIC is urging employers to “show good sense” and make use of the leeway already provided in the WRA. “It shall be open to employers and operatives to agree that all or some of the winter holiday and/or the Easter (spring) holiday will be taken on alternative dates,” the agreement says.

As far as CIJC employers’ side secretary Gerry Lean is concerned, a flexible stance by employers “could be of benefit to both the company and their workforce”.

Construction workers are being urged to “speak to their employer at the earliest possible opportunity” if they want their Easter holiday dates to be varied.