A 2% pay rise has been agreed for half a million construction workers following long-running talks.
Three trade unions, Ucatt, Unite and the GMB, said basic pay rates will increase from January, with the agreement running for a year.
The unions said it was a "significant improvement" on a previous offer of 1.6%, which would have been paid in January and continued until June 2014.
Steve Murphy, general secretary of Ucatt, said: "This was the absolute minimum that construction workers were prepared to accept. Employers must understand that this is only the first step in addressing low pay."
John Allott, of Unite, said: "This year's pay deal must be the start of dealing with the low basic pay rates for many construction workers. It is essential that future pay awards begin to genuinely tackle the problem of low pay in order that the agreement is of value to both sides."
Phil Davies of the GMB, added: "The offer was the best that could be achieved under the present economic circumstances. Further pressure will need to be applied to improve pay in the future."
