Building industry contractors and employers surveyed nationally by construction consultants Davis Langdon are fearful of deterioration in the industrial relations environment in the year ahead.

Davis Langdon’s Construction Sentiment survey showed that 21 percent of respondents canvassed expected the industrial relations situation to worsen.

This was an increase of two percent from the previous research report in January 2008.

However, Davis Langdon’s national research director Rachel Kelloway said a similar negative expectation in the previous survey failed to occur.

“Historically, respondents have recorded a consistently gloomy outlook towards the future state of industrial relations, each time we have surveyed, yet in three years we have yet to see industrial relations worsen by any significant amount,” Kelloway said.

Davis Langdon said overall sentiment toward IR was very positive. In total 81 percent of respondents said that industrial relations were good at the moment and a further 16 percent believe industrial relations are very good at the moment.

Davis Langdon’s managing director Mark Beattie said with a reduction in forward orders and contractors becoming increasingly competitive in their attempt to secure whatever work is becoming available employees in the industry may be forced to tighten their belts also.

“We are hopeful that local, state and federal governments will bring forward significant infrastructure projects in the early part of 2009 to absorb some of the excess capacity left by the shrinking private sector work pipeline, but jobs will be under pressure,” he said.

“We are entering an interesting phase where relationships between employers and employees could be tested.”

For further information, contact Meaghan Jones on +61 3 9933 8800 or email mjones2@davislangdon.com.au