Background information

The Trade Union Federation – made up of the main construction unions, SIPTU, BATU and Connect – and the sectoral employer body, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) agreed a sector specific protocol consisting of specific COVID-19 arrangements for the construction sector.

The agreement was concluded in May and follows on from the Government’s Return to Work Safely Protocol. The construction agreement notes that the national protocol encourages the development of sectoral agreements to further ensure safe workplaces.

Content of measure

In addition to the measures contained in the national return to work safely protocol, the construction sector agreement includes industry specific measures to deal with the threat of COVID-19 includes a monitoring system, improved access to sites for union representatives, alternative work patterns and temperature testing of workers. It also includes a complaints'procedure for COVID-19 issues.

The Sectoral Employment Order that governs construction pay and conditions sets out normal working hours, but the CIF/TUF protocol recognises that work patterns outside these hours may be “temporarily required” for COVID-19 safety, to reduce numbers on site at any one time.

As many as 30% of construction workers returned on 18 May 2020, but most of the others returned in the following weeks, as sites re-opened gradually. There are estimated to be from 80,000 to 100,000 site-based craft and operative workers.

Use of measure

All construction workers and employers.

Contents

• Health and safety

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Other groups of workers	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Trade unions Employers' organisations	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Sectoral or branch level

Involvement

The Trade Union Federation - SIPTU, BATU and Connect - and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) agreed the sectoral protocol to ensure the safety of workers across the industry. The agreement was concluded in May and follows on from the Government’s Return to Work Safely Protocol. The construction agreements notes that the national protocol encourages the development of sectoral agreements to further ensure safe workplaces.

The agreement includes specific measures to deal with the threat of COVID-19 such as a monitoring system, improved access to sites for union representatives and a complaints procedure for COVID-19 issues.

Views and reactions

According to SIPTU Construction Sector Organiser, John Regan, the agreement provides for additional safety and health protection measures. “These measures are based on the principle of ‘prevention first’, the speedy correction of non-compliance and the closure of sites if the safety of workers is not ensured. If it cannot be done safely, it should not be done at all,” he said.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 12 October 2020: Construction sector protocol agreed with Trade Union Federation (www.irn.ie)
• 12 October 2020: TUF agrees additional layer of protection for construction workers with CIF (www.siptu.ie)
• 12 October 2020: Agreement between TUF and CIF (www.connectunion.ie)