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dedicated towards training the next generation of and benefits such as pension security. Negotiated
construction workers. The Building Trades training agreements which may take the form of Collective
model relies on some government funding as Agreements or Project Labour Agreements (PLAs)
well, but the bulk of the investments come from help secure a degree of stability and predictability
the industry itself. Serving public and private for employers and workers alike. However, the road
infrastructure needs, Building Trades workers apply towards securing collective bargaining was not an
their skills on a wide variety of construction projects easy one as over the years, strikes, lockouts, and
across seven different bargaining sectors. various workplace upheavals took place before the
construction industry achieved a degree of relative
Can you tell us about the calm.
conceptual background and
practical application of collective Underpinning the collective bargaining mechanism
bargaining in Ontario’s in Ontario’s construction industry is the irrefutable
Construction Industry, and fact that our direct employers, who are for the
what it means for construction most part construction trade contractors, must
workers? be competitive and profitable for our members to
Conceptually, collective bargaining is a way for be employed and to build meaningful, long, and
workers to assert their common interests in the prosperous careers in the construction industry.
workplace, by negotiating with their employers to The relationship with our signatory employer
help secure fair wages, safe working conditions counterparts is therefore critically important to the
24 APRIL 2021 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA
