Jean Winters is the Construction Industry Federation’s Director of Industrial Relations & Employment Services
In 2025, discussions will continue at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) between the Mechanical Engineering & Building Services Contractors Association (MEBSCA) and Unite trade union.
In September and October 2024, Unite engaged in industrial action on a number of sites where members of MEBSCA were working in pursuit of their claim for an additional hour’s travel.
The union’s claim cannot be conceded. Unite suspended picketing to allow talks take place at the WRC.
Two meetings took place with the union in November and December 2024, and it is likely that further meetings will take place in the new year.
The other union in the sector, Connect, was not involved in this dispute.
MEBSCA’s objective is to reinstate the practice of single table negotiations across the sector, achieve pay harmonisation and to work with the unions on making an application to the Labour Court for an SEO in the mechanical sector.
In early 2025, the parties to the Electrical National Joint Industrial Council (the ECA, AECI and Connect Trade Union) intend to make a fresh application to the Labour Court for a new SEO in the electrical contracting sector.
Meetings with the trade unions at the Construction Industry National Joint Industrial Council will continue into 2025.
The unions have indicated that they wish to discuss amending the definition of the construction sector in the Sectoral Employment Order to include off-site manufacturing.
The unions have also indicated that they wish to discuss bogus self-employment and apprentice rates.
These issues, along with any other industrial relations issues that arise in 2025, will be discussed by the CIF’s National Industrial Relations Committee.
The IR department provides information, advice and support to members in the areas of employment law and HR. We also represent our members in local negotiations with trade unions, and at the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court.
We expect 2025 to be a busy year for both the advisory and representative functions. In general employment law, things to look out for in 2025 include the introduction of auto-enrolment in September 2025.
The Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme, called My Future Fund, will mandate employers to automatically enroll eligible employees into a contributory workplace pension scheme.
Workers who are already registered in a pension scheme that meet the terms of the auto-enrolment scheme will be exempt from the new scheme.
Employers who currently have workers registered in the CWPS will be exempt from auto-enrolment for at least three years after the introduction of auto-enrolment.
We will be in discussions with the unions to ensure that the contributions paid into the CWPS do not fall out of line with the requirements of auto-enrolment. In 2025, the reporting threshold for gender pay gap reporting will lower to include employers with 50 or more employees.
This will bring a larger number of businesses under the requirements. It is also intended that from 2025 the reporting deadline will move to November.
This will give employers less time to complete the report from their snapshot date in June. We are working with our members on their reporting obligations, and we are focused on assisting members where gaps are found.
Following the commencement of the Maternity Protection, Employment Equality And Preservation Of Certain Records Act 2024, employers can expect significant changes in 2025 to the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
The Act introduce restrictions to the use of NDAs in respect of allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or victimisation.
