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OTTAWA \u2013 Eighteen construction sector organizations have joined forces, penning a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney in the wake of his latest major projects list.<\/p>\n
They are urging the Liberals to rethink their procurement practices when it comes to building Canada up on a global spectrum.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day, more than 1.6 million skilled men and women \u2013 most of them working in open shop or progressive unions\/open managed companies \u2013 build the infrastructure that keeps our country moving,\u201d the letter reads. \u201cThey pour the concrete, weld the steel, and raise the towers that de\ufb01ne our skylines, connect our communities, and develop the natural resources that power our nation. Yet despite their skill and dedication, they are too often told they aren\u2019t welcome on government-funded projects simply because they don\u2019t belong to the \u2018right\u2019 union.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat must end.\u201d<\/p>\n
In essence the letter states the government needs to \u201creject any attempt to impose building trades union (BTU)-only Project Labour Agreements (PLAs) or Community Bene\ufb01ts Agreements (CBAs), as well as any prevailing wage schemes akin to the Investment Tax Credit, which presumes BTU wages and bene\ufb01ts as a sole basis, on federally funded projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
It cites B.C. as a \u201ccautionary tale,\u201d saying since 2018 the NDP government in that province has been using the CBA model, which has led to \u201cprojects delayed by years, more than $1.7 billion in cost overruns (and counting), and fewer bidders and workers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manitoba has also started to use a similar policy, but yet more than 70 per cent of the<\/p>\n
construction industry are not a member of a building trades union, the letter notes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorkers lose opportunities and jobs, and taxpayers have paid more and gotten less. That\u2019s not fairness. That\u2019s political favouritism dressed up as public policy,\u201d the coalition states.<\/p>\n
Since the government has emphasized it wants to double the pace of homebuilding, expand public infrastructure and build major projects to make the economy more competitive, the coalition says the starting point \u201ccannot be to divide workers, telling most they are not welcome and denying them jobs and opportunity\u2026Open bidding demonstrably delivers better value, more competition and stronger communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrime minister, this is a de\ufb01ning moment for fairness and \ufb01scal responsibility in public construction. Canadians are watching how their government spends their money. If you truly believe in value for taxpayer dollars, competition, economic reconciliation and opportunity, the answer is simple: keep public projects open to all quali\ufb01ed workers and contractors, regardless of union affiliation.\u201d<\/p>\n