Crossrail may use M&E Major Projects Agreement

Officials on the £16bn Crossrail project are considering use of the Major Projects Agreement pioneered on Heathrow Terminal 5 for m&e workers.

The MPA offered a lucrative pay deal in return for meeting stringent performance targets and industrial relations stability.

A spokesperson for Crossrail confirmed that the organisation was “looking into using the MPA”, but said it was early days and discussions were continuing.

The MPA was negotiated by union Amicus and launched in December 2003 to give electricians more money in return for improved productivity and fewer industrial disputes.

The framework was hailed as a success by the industry after an independent report by consultant Baker Mallett found that 88% of those involved in T5 described it as beneficial. However, it has not been used on any other project, and has been rejected by the Olympic Delivery Authority.