With the threat of Brexit looming, wages have begun to rise sharply as construction firms compete for workers to keep projects on track.
According to a recent survey of construction recruitment firms by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), bricklayers in particular are reaping the benefits and are now taking home up to £1,000 a week.
More than 63% of recruitment agencies said that demand for temporary construction workers had increased over the last year. 69% said that the shortage of bricklayers, labourers and other tradesmen is now the first or second most significant risk to their business.
More than four in ten firms said that finding bricklayers was particularly difficult. Recruiters supplying London-based clients especially report rising wages as a result, with bricklayers earning between £15 and £25 an hour in the capital.
Looking ahead, construction recruiters predict that a vote to leave the EU would exacerbate the shortage of candidates. A total of 59% stated that a Brexit would make it more difficult to find suitable workers to fill vacancies, while only 5% believed the situation would be improved.
Kevin Green, REC chief executive, said: “If you work in construction you can expect to be earning £34 a week more than last year, and our data indicates that some employers are increasing pay faster as the competition for skilled workers intensifies.”
