The leaders of various construction associations asked Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley to clarify two policy changes she promised. .“We are concerned if implemented, these changes could increase taxpayer costs and limit the access of thousands of Alberta companies and construction workers to public and private projects, during a critical time when demand for their skills is at an all-time high,” said the three leaders in a Wednesday letter to Notley. .The leaders who signed onto the letter were Progressive Contractors Association of Canada President Paul de Jong, Alberta Construction Association Executive Director Ken Gibson, and Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) Alberta President Mike Martens. .Notley said it was her intention to implement a community benefits agreement (CBA) regime in Alberta to maximize the participation of underemployed worker groups. The letter said the leaders believe CBAs can achieve meaningful social procurement objectives when designed right. .However, the Alberta NDP signalled it would look to British Columbia as a template for a broader CBA program. The leaders called BC’s initiative “a grossly coercive program aimed at giving select BC Building Trades Unions (BTUs) a monopoly over large parts of the province’s multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects.” .Companies wishing to do work on these projects must do so using BTU labour and terms, regardless of which labour model they are affiliated with. Given these workers constitute no more than 15% of BC’s skilled construction workforce, this means the other 85% are excluded from public work paid for by their taxpayer dollars. .If this is a misunderstanding, the letter said it can be cleared up. It added Alberta’s construction industry would be reassured if Notley affirmed all public infrastructure programs will be open to all companies and workers regardless of the labour model they have chosen to employ. .The NDP has pledged to do away with double breasting in the construction and maintenance sectors. .Double breasting arises when employees, within a group of businesses, decide to be represented by a union different from another acting for those of a different company within that corporate collective. When there are different unions representing separate employees within separate companies, the label applied from a labour relations perspective is a double breast. .The letter acknowledged no single source of workers has been sufficient to meet the workforce required to construct all of Alberta’s capital and infrastructure projects. It said healthy competition has resulted in union and non-union employers offer high pay, comprehensive benefit packages, training, and learning and development. .One of Alberta’s advantages is large scale construction projects have been built and maintained through different unions working side by side. Labour diversity is the reason Alberta’s construction sector is competitive and successful in attracting investments. .The letter went on to say any tinkering within the corporate structure of construction and maintenance companies is a misguided attempt to address perceived issues with double breasting. At minimum, it said there should be industry-wide consultations before drastic policy changes are enacted. .Alberta is in the midst of the Alberta Is Calling campaign. The leaders said the policy changes under consideration “could send a very different message: that Alberta is really only calling upon a select few, at a time when the province’s construction industry faces a dire and growing shortage of skilled labour.” .The letter concluded by saying they trust this is not her intent. .“All of Alberta’s construction workers — one in ten Albertans — deserve to know your intentions before casting their ballot,” they said. .“We respectfully ask you to consider the rights of ALL Alberta workers and companies before changing what has worked so well for this province, our communities, and our families.” .One in 10 workers rely on Alberta’s construction industry for their livelihoods, according to an April 11 report conducted by ICBA Alberta..READ MORE: Study finds Alberta has a construction economy.“And that makes good sense — but Alberta’s economy is also very much a construction-driven economy,” said Martens. .The report said more than 230,000 Albertans work in construction, and they represent one of the largest single contributors to the province’s GDP. It said construction employs more people than any other goods-producing sector, and a handful of service-providing sectors have a larger impact..The Alberta NDP could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
