Great News for B.C. Workers! BC’s provincial government just announced a new, landmark framework for major infrastructure projects in BC. Community Benefits Agreements or CBAs set out hiring provisions on publicly funded infrastructure projects and includes provisions for the hiring of qualified local workers, Indigenous people, apprentices and women in trades.
The first CBAs will be applied to the Vancouver’s proposed new $1.4 billion Pattullo Bridge and a four-lane highway project between Kamloops and Alberta. All qualified workers will be given opportunity to be hired on the project, starting with local, Indigenous and under-represented groups. Once on the project, all workers will temporarily become members of a union for the duration of the project. They will receive union wages, union benefits andhttp://bit.ly/CommunityBenefitsAgreement. access to union training, safety programs and grievance servicing.
Check out the key benefits of a CBA – http://bit.ly/CommunityBenefitsAgreement
This is a big step forward for union labour in our province. Show your support for Community Benefits by joining the campaign. http://letsbuildbc.ca/join-us/
There is a lot of misinformation being circulated about CBAs from those opposed to this new model, particularly from the non-union sector. Please see below for the FACTS on CBAs.
Myth
BC Building Trades unions only represent 15% of the industry.
Fact
There are 69,000 non-residential construction workers in British Columbia according to Build Force Canada’s 2018 Construction Outlook. The BC Building Trades is the largest supplier of labour in the province of British Columbia. With over 40,000 members, we actually represent 58% of the non-residential construction sector. Community Benefits Agreements only cover non-residential construction projects.
Myth
The Project Labour Agreement used on the Vancouver Island Hwy Project increased costs.
Fact
Some are quick to cite but never produce a copy of a Vancouver Board of Trade study from 1994, which projected cost overruns before the project had even meaningfully started. In fact, the Island Highway, which started in 1994 and finished in 2000, came in under the projected cost estimate. This estimate was made in 1993 by the Ministry of Transportation and Highways before a Project Labour Agreement with the Building Trades was even contemplated. Further, a BC Auditor General report found the VIHP was “good value for money spent”. (Link: http://www.bcauditor.com/pubs/1996/report3/vancouver-island-highway-project-planning-and-design
Myth
A Community Benefits Agreement will restrict the number of bidders on the projects.
Fact
Project agreements historically increase the number of bidders on projects because contractors have a level playing field. During the Vancouver Island Highway project, competition increased from an average of 3.7 bids on traditional tendering to over 6 bids on VIHP.
Myth
Only unionized contractors can bid on the project.
Fact
All contractors are welcome to bid on the project and bring their core team.
Myth
Only BC Building Trades workers can work on the project under the Community Benefits Agreement.
Fact
All qualified workers will be given opportunity to be hired on the project. Starting with local, Indigenous and under-represented groups. Once on the project, all workers will temporarily become members of a union for the duration of the project. They will receive union wages, union benefits and access to union training, safety programs and grievance servicing.
Myth
The low-bid model used by the BC Liberals provided better value for government money.
Fact
Multiple projects constructed under the low-bid model ran over budget:
- The B.C. portion of the Evergreen line was budgeted at $410 million; final cost was $586 million, representing a 43 per cent increase.
- South Fraser Perimeter Road was budgeted at $635 million; final cost to us was $899 million, representing a 42 per cent increase.
- Vancouver Convention Centre was budgeted at $495 million; final cost to us was $841 million, representing a whopping 70 per cent increase.
- Port Mann Bridge was budgeted at $2.3398 billion; final cost to us was $3.3 billion, representing a 41 per cent increase.