Year-to-Date Collective Bargaining Yields Average First-Year Wage and Benefits Increase of 1.9 Percent

Collective bargaining settlements reported to the Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC) between January and June of this year resulted in an average first-year wage-and-benefits increase of $0.98 or 1.9 percent.  This average is up moderately from the $0.55 or 1.1 percent average reported at the same time last year but still significantly lower than the $1.49 or 3.1 percent average reported two years ago.  As reported in CLRC’s latest Wage and Benefit Settlements Report, nine percent of year-to-date settlements included no increase at all in first-year wages and benefits, as compared to nearly a quarter of settlements at this time last year. About 45 percent of settlements reported so far this year were for only a one-year duration.  Among those for multi-year terms, the most common duration is three years, with an average second-year increase of $1.36 or 2.5 percent, and an average third-year increase of $1.58 or 2.7 percent.  This compares to an average second-year increase  of $0.69 or 1.6 percent, and an average third-year increase of $1.01 or 2.2 percent reported during the same period last year. The report covers 75 settlements, including 48 from the East North Central Region, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.   “Variation among the regions has been modest so far this year,” states CLRC, “ranging [from] a low of 1.7 percent to a high of 3.2 percent.” The complete report -- which provides an early indication of 2011 bargaining results and will be followed by further reports later this year -- is posted along with other CLRC reports on the Labor & HR Topical Resources page of AGC's website at www.agc.org/labor/topicalresources.  Select "Collective Bargaining" from the first pull-down menu and "Collective Bargaining Agreement Data" from the second for links to the reports.  For a searchable database of collectively bargained wage and fringe benefit rates, go to www.agc.org/cbrates. Collective bargaining AGC Chapters are reminded to kindly send all settlements information to CLRC promptly upon completion.  Information may be submitted by e-mail at clrc@clrc.biz, by fax to (202) 347-8442, or by mail to 1750 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC  20006.