Money, money, money

Once you’ve got over how much your boss is getting paid, it’s straight to the photocopier to build up that dossier of evidence for your annual review. This year’s data from Hays confirms that pay packets for the fat cats are bulging, with twice-inflation pay rises the norm at the top end.

Given the crippling skills shortages, it’s no surprise that contractors have to pay top dollar to get the best person for the job. After all, if your operations manager is that good, it’s better that you pay their wages rather than let one of your competitors get hold of them. The fact that salaries are decent once you’ve got a few years under your belt can only help attract youngsters to the industry and ease shortages in the longer term.

But what of electricians at the sharp end? Are they earning a fair crust? On the face of it, an inflation-busting package spread over three years is a great offer. Many workers, in all kinds of sectors, would bite your hand off for consecutive rises of 4.67%, 4.5% and 5%.

Yet electricians have rejected the offer and the talk is of strike action unless an improved deal is put on the table. Let’s face it, haven’t unions always flexed their muscles when workloads are this buoyant? Particularly when the skills shortage on site is only marginally less chronic than at management level.

Elsewhere, money will undoubtedly rear its ugly head in the discussions about ECA and HVCA convergence. The ECA is far richer than the HVCA and electrical firms won’t want to share the assets with their mechanical cousins. As with the threat of industrial action, I’m sure a deal can be struck.