Canadian and Design Construction writer
WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s construction industry is calling for a formal review of the province’s Manitoba Jobs Agreements (MJA), citing a lack of transparency and restrictive hiring rules.
The Winnipeg Construction Association (WCA), alongside the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) and the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba (CARM), have requested that Manitoba’s Auditor General review an 85-cent-per-hour-per-worker charge collected on MJA-covered projects. The fee flows directly to a union body on top of existing union dues, with no public oversight, no explanation, and no end in sight. Taxpayers are paying for it.
“This fee is being sent directly to the Manitoba Building Trades without any clear oversight. Nobody in government has explained how the number was set, what it’s supposed to fund, or who’s watching the money,” said Ron Hambley, president of the WCA. “At the end of the day, taxpayers are the ones paying for it.”
The associations say the fee is only the most visible problem. The MJA gives unionized workers first access to any new hires on covered projects. Open-shop contractors may start projects with their own staff, but any additional hiring requires union approval.
According to Statistics Canada, roughly 88 per cent of Manitoba’s construction workforce is non-unionized. The associations say that under the MJA, most workers are effectively excluded from these projects unless unions approve their employment, reducing competition and driving up costs.
“Transparency and accountability for public funds are absolutely critical. Neither the industry nor Manitoba taxpayers have been given a clear explanation of how this fee was determined or what it is intended to fund,” said Chris Lorenc, president and CEO of the MHCA.
Rural and northern Manitoba contractors are particularly affected, the groups said, because unionized labour is far less available outside Winnipeg.
“The MJA gives unions approval rights over the workforce on covered projects and hands them first access to any new hiring,” said Shawn Wood, executive director of CARM. “Open-shop companies can start with their own people, but the moment they need to bring someone new on, unions go to the front of the line. That restricts competition, drives up costs, and puts rural Manitoba workers at a disadvantage.”
The associations are asking the Auditor General to examine the fee, how it is governed and reported, and whether the MJA meets basic standards for transparency and value for money. They also want the province to reform the agreement to restore fair competition on public projects.
“Manitoba needs a construction policy that supports good jobs, strong workforce development, and fair competition,” Hambley said. “Construction workers, contractors, and taxpayers all deserve to be treated fairly.”
