Talks are to begin this week on proposals drafted by BAA on pay and conditions for electricians at the Heathrow Terminal 5 site in west London.
Contractor Amec Building Services will lead formal discussions with Amicus on a supplementary projects agreement. This is an amended version of the major projects agreement, a deal agreed by the M&E sector for large sites that guarantees enhanced pay and conditions.

T5 construction director Andrew Wolstenholme said that he was pleased to consider adopting a framework developed by the M&E sector that encouraged an integrated working environment.

He said: "A programme the size and complexity of Terminal 5 can really benefit from this. We now look forward to Amicus and our suppliers reaching a satisfactory supplementary projects agreement for Terminal 5."

At the start of the year, Amicus tried to obtain a commitment from BAA that the T5 project would fall under the agreed major projects agreement for large-scale projects.

We look forward to reaching a satisfactory agreement

T5’s Andrew Wolstenholme

However, in July BAA said it would draft a supplementary agreement of the deal for the T5 site.

Amicus national construction secretary Paul Corby said he was pleased with the progress that had been made. He said: "We will do everything we can to get the major projects agreement into Terminal 5."

The issue of whether the major projects agreement, or any deal derived from it, is used on other large BAA airport sites is still causing Amicus concern.