Manufacturers are seeing higher levels of pay, new industry data has shown.
A survey from the manufacturers' organisation EEF has found that pay data leading up to the end of November was up by 0.2 per cent on October.
Overall, there has been an 0.5 per cent increase since the middle of the year, from 1.5 per cent in June to 2.0 per cent at the end of November.
However, nearly one in four settlements still involve pay freezes, indicating that margins are still feeling tight.
Commenting on the latest figures, EEF economist Ms Lee Hopley said: "This upward trend clearly reflects a return to more normal pay bargaining conditions and the end of a long period during the recession when reductions, freezes and deferments were the norm."
She added that it was evident that the manufacturing sector was very strong, but it was important to note that the rise in pay levels started at a historically low point.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the process systems, process engineering and manufacturing processes industry includes; heavy duty conveyors-industrial conveyors – belt conveyors
