PAPER 5 INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Chairman,

Let me begin by thanking you for both the invitation to both attend and address this construction conference. For my part it is both a pleasure and an honour to accept. I do mean that.

This industry construction is extremely important to my Union the AEEU , but more importantly the industry is of vital importance to the United Kingdom economy. A fact chairman, not appreciated by Government.

The last five years have been extremely hard and I do not need to relate to you the statistics that support that view. The balance sheets say it all. Without doubt the recession has had a massive and negative impact on every sector of construction.