Working rule agreement
Civil Engineering Procedure, 7th Edition, published by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) defines a working rule agreement (WRA) as:
| Terms of employment agreed between one or more trade unions and representatives of the employers of the members of those unions. |
WRA’s provide a guide to acceptable terms and conditions for employers and workers.
The Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) Working Rule Agreement is the largest such agreement in the construction industry and covers more than 500,000 workers. All 500,000 workers are covered by the minimum pay rates set out in the agreement and most are covered by the whole agreement, which includes, amongst other things, travel and fare rates.
Such agreements can help avoid industrial disputes, and simplify the process of negotiating terms between a very large number of disparate employers and workers. In addition, expenses such as travel and accommodation costs, paid to workers in accordance with a WRA, do not count as income for tax purposes.
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