Despite record levels of employment, wage settlements for union construction workers in 2005 continued close to the pace set during the previous two years. In March, ENR’s 20-city average skilled labor index for bricklayers, carpenters and ironworkers posted a 4.1% annual increase for union wages plus fringe benefits (see table). This was up from 3.8% and 3.9% annual increases for March 2005 and 2004.
Union wages for 2005 tracked by the Construction Research Labor Council, Washington, D.C., recorded an average annual increase of 3.9% for 589 collective bargaining contracts covering 554,512 workers. The average wage-plus-fringe hourly rate for all construction crafts currently is $40.09, according to CLRC. During the five-year period ending last January, rates are up 22.6%, which is the highest five-year increase since January 1987, says CLRC.