A steady flow of work is driving high demand for construction trades, as well as the highest wage and benefit increases in recent history for both union and open-shop workers nationwide. Wage and benefit settlements for union trades have so far produced an average first year increase of $1.90, or 4.7%, according to the Construction Labor Research Council. That hike exceeds the $1.74 recorded during the same period in 2006, a 4.6% increase.
Labor agreements for all of 2006 saw average increases of 4.5% for the first year, the highest percentage increase since 1989, says CLRC. But preliminary data suggests that 2007 could eclipse that record, says Bob Gasperow, council executive director. “Since 1999, [first year] increases have stayed steadily above 4%, but these [increases] are as high as it’s been in 10 years,” he adds.