Key deals in manufacturing include that for the thousands of electricians covered by the Electrical Contracting Joint Industry Board (JIB) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the JIB for electricians in Scotland, where increases of 3% were awarded on 6 January 2020 in the final year of respective four-year deals. These deals also influence pay levels for skilled workers in manufacturing firms.
‘With inflation set to fall under the impact of falling oil prices and the slowdown prompted by the coronavirus outbreak, it is difficult to tell what spring will hold for pay increases’, said Zoe Woolacott of IDR. However, some pay awards will be heavily influenced by the National Living Wage, which rises by 6.2% to £8.72 on 1 April. ‘This pressure on pay award setting, particularly in low-paying sectors, could push the median increase higher in these areas at least’, added Woolacott.