Union bosses are now calling on other contractors to follow suit, raising their terms beyond statutory rates, which can be as low as £16 a day.
United Construction Division Regional Officer Malcolm Bonnett said: “Unite has been fighting to end discrimination against construction workers’ sick pay, so we are delighted with this victory.
“Statutory sick pay in the UK is the lowest in Europe, so it is crucial that we persuade employers , a wealthy business that is obligated to pay when workers are sick.
“From here, we build further. Unite is determined to get other construction employers to take action to end sick pay discrimination.”
A Kier spokesperson said: “In Kier , we recognize that our people are our greatest asset and our teams have struggled to deliver industry-leading policies and measures to support our people.
“Over the past 12 months, we’ve introduced an improved family-friendly policy that we’ve made available to all A new and higher standard for sick pay, and we’ve become a signatory to a living wage.
“All of these actions reflect the plans we have implemented. Strategic review. They form part of our high performance culture and underscore our focus and commitment to doing the right thing.”
