Flexibility call for construction workers Easter holidays

Construction union UCATT and construction employer representatives have issued a joint call for construction bosses to show flexibility and if possible adopt family friendly policies this Easter.

Under the Construction Industry Joint Council Working Rule Agreement, companies would normally give workers an Easter holiday, beginning on Good Friday and which then included the four working days after Easter Monday.

Problems have arisen this year as the very early date of Easter (Good Friday, March 21) means the normal school spring holiday, will take place in April and will not be combined with the Easter bank holidays. The change in school holidays will potentially cause problems for construction workers with school age children, who could be forced to find other childcare arrangements for their children during this period.

The WRA does already provide some flexibility on the matter, it says that: “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”.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT and the secretary of the operative side of the CIJC, said: “I urge construction bosses to show good sense on this matter. Construction workers with families often have great difficulty in arranging childcare during school holidays. If their normal Easter holidays does not coincide with when their children are not at school, this will cause additional problems and could affect their performance at work.”

Gerry Lean, employer’s secretary of the CIJC, said: “Flexibility already exits in the WRA in the taking of Easter holidays. If employers are able to be flexible on this matter it could be of benefit to both the company and their workforce.”

Workers affected by this issue should speak to their employer at the earliest possible opportunity in order to see if their holiday can be varied.