Construction pay remains steady
Pay and benefit levels in the U.S. construction industry flattened out in 2007 - but at a pretty high level - according to the Construction Labor Research Council and the Construction Labor Report.

Overall, nationwide settlements for first-year construction industry labor agreements averaged $1.75 or 4.4 percent for the first year, virtually unchanged from the $1.73 or 4.5 percent hike reported in 2006.

Measuring data back to 1999, 2007's first-year wage hikes were at the top of the chart. And the second and third years of the contracts settled last year will still rise, but at a smaller percentage: $1.90 or 4.3 percent in the second year and $1.97 or 4.2 percent in the third year.

The data covered 300,568 workers and 314 contracts.

The East North Central region, which includes Michigan, saw significantly lower increases. Average first-year wage/benefit settlements in this region were $1.65 or 4.0 percent. The second year went up to $1.68 or 3.8 percent, and the third year, $1.70 or 3.7 percent.

For individual crafts, there was a wide swing in first-year 2007 settlement amounts in the U.S.:

Laborers: $1.37or 4.4 percent; Iron Workers, $2.17 or 4.6 percent; Carpenters, $1.65 or 4.4 percent; Sheet Metal Workers, $1.96 or 4.5 percent; Bricklayers, $1.52 or 3.7 percent; Crane Operators, $2.00 or 4.8 percent; Cement Masons, $1.55 or 4.4 percent; Electricains, $1.19 or 2.9 percent; and Plumbers and Pipe Fitters, $1.99 or 4.9 percent.

Sheet Metal, UTU merger on hold
A federal district judge halted the proposed merger of the United Transportation Union and the Sheet Metal Workers International Union until Feb. 13. The judge extended a previous restraining order by 30 days.

UTU members sought to halt the merger, which was to have taken effect Jan. 1, 2008, claiming they don't have enough information about the merger, the Construction Labor Report said.

The UTU has 80,000 active members. The Sheet Metal Workers have 150,000. SMWIA President Michael Sullivan would lead the new union.