Unionized labour invests in Canada – Winnipeg Free Press

Geoff Dueck Thiessen, in his piece Make public-work bids truly open (June 29), leans upon common misguided and unsubstantiated assertions in arguing against the project labour agreements that are used in Manitoba’s public works projects.

His organization, the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), like other non-union groups, operates on a different business model than do building trades unions (BTUs) in this country. They try to gain competitive advantage on work sites by paying lower wages and benefits. They don’t invest in training and development of skilled workers, the way BTUs do across Canada.

They repeatedly offer unsubstantiated opinions that the use of union labour results in cost overruns and somehow is a contributing factor in leaving First Nations and Métis peoples out of the workforce. Dueck Thiessen is resorting to misdirection to shift focus away from the fact BTUs supply the best-trained and productive labour in the country. Repeating the same misinformed opinions will not change essential facts.

Read More: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/unionized-labour-invests-in-canada-311710731.html