‘Let the workers choose’: union criticizes construction contract

As Penn-co Construction starts work on four new Manitoba schools, the entity acting as its union is criticizing the construction contract — one of the first unrolled through the Manitoba Jobs Agreement.

“Let the workers choose,” Geoff Dueck Thiessen, regional director of the Christian Labour Association of Canada’s Winnipeg member centre, said of union involvement.

CLAC, which calls itself an independent union, has represented Penn-co for the past 18 years, Thiessen said.

But wages, benefits and apprentice usage are among the items preset in the new contract — which overrides CLAC’s terms of employment, the regional director said.

The project is part of the Manitoba Jobs Agreement framework, a new policy for public capital projects costing upwards of $50 million.

Those projects have standardized terms of employment that align with local building trade unions’ standards. The New Democrats announced the policy last September; Premier Wab Kinew has touted it as a way to boost workers’ pay and ensure Manitobans are hired.

The Building Trade Bargaining Council — which includes Manitoba Building Trades and industry unions — oversees contract compliance.

“You don’t need to give one group of unions… the work to empower employment-barriered groups,” Thiessen said. “We do all that stuff.

“(This) forces workers into a relationship with the union that they didn’t necessarily choose.”

Unlike local building trades unions, CLAC is not affiliated with Manitoba Building Trades, the Manitoba Federation of Labour or the Canadian Labour Congress.

It operates an “open shop” model, meaning workers aren’t required to join.

Thiessen said the Christian Labour Association of Canada has largely been kept in the dark about the Manitoba Jobs Agreement.

Penn-co Construction, which was awarded the main contract for four school builds (in Winnipeg, West St. Paul and Brandon) declined to comment.

The Manitoba government has set up a meeting with CLAC, Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu said Thursday.

It’s unclear whether CLAC will charge dues while Penn-co employees are on the school build sites, Thiessen said. Through the jobs agreement, labourers will already pay dues to their occupation’s respective union (such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers).

Most unionized construction workers are already paying dues, said Tanya Palson, executive director of Manitoba Building Trades.

The current situation identifies a long-standing “rift” in the labour movement, noted Adam King, a University of Manitoba labour studies professor.

“Other unions have accused (CLAC) of not being a legitimate union,” he said, adding critics say the group signs “sweetheart deals” with employers to keep competitor labour groups out.

Thiessen disputed that, saying CLAC isn’t “too employer friendly.” He pointed to a three-week strike at Hanover School Division three years ago overseen by the union.

Some in the private sector have echoed CLAC’s concern that companies are unwillingly signed up for union frameworks through Manitoba Jobs Agreements.

Merit Contractors Association of Manitoba expressed disappointment following a jobs agreement update earlier this week. Its president said paying union fees might increase project costs.

Workers on job agreement project sites will reap the benefits of unionization — such as pay — without necessarily being unionized, Palson said.

Labourers won’t pay union fees on other sites if they don’t belong to a union already, she continued.

She estimated half of public construction projects already follow Manitoba Job Agreement standards. Building trades unions worked closely with the province on the framework.

Thiessen suggested CLAC hasn’t been involved because it’s non-partisan and isn’t advising members to vote New Democrat.

Sandhu disputed that notion.

“My department did invite CLAC to our MJA engagement process,” Sandhu said.

The province tabbed $200 million for the four school builds. The structures — in Devonshire Park and Prairie Pointe (Winnipeg), Meadowlands (West St. Paul) and southwest Brandon — are expected to be completed by fall of 2027.

Bockstael Construction, a non-unionized firm, has a managing contract for a Victoria General Hospital emergency room build.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com