May 28, 2010

‘Buy Merit’ campaign aims to reduce union influence in politics

RICHARD GILBERT

staff writer

VANCOUVER

The open shop association in British Columbia has launched an initiative to encourage buyers of construction services to hire open shop contractors. The move is intended to reduce the influence of building trade unions in the political process.

“The Buy Merit campaign is directed at ICBA (Independent Contractors and Businesses Association) members and purchasers of construction services,” said Philip Hochstein, ICBA president. “We are encouraging clients of the construction industry to hire only open shop contractors and subcontractors, in order to reduce the financial contribution of building trade unions to the anti-business agenda.”

The campaign was launched late last month in a presentation during the CEO Breakfast at Buildex Vancouver.

The educational campaign is designed to raise awareness about how some groups, deemed anti-business, are often supported and funded by governments, businesses and workers, without their knowledge or consent.

Hochstein argued that a funding stream is generated through union dues to the NDP, the BC Federation of Labour, the Canadian Labour Congress and what he called various anti-business political action groups, when union-certified businesses are hired in B.C.

“Nobody has explained to the purchasers of construction services the link between their purchases and where a portion of the money ends up,” he said.

“We would like the building trade union contractors to ask the craft unions to stop funding those causes and organizations.”

The executive director of the B.C. Yukon Territory Building Construction Trade Council argued that unions have the right to spend money any way they like once that decision goes through the democratic process.

“At least we have a democratic process. They don’t,” said Wayne Peppard. “As critical as you may be of that process, we have one.”

The president of the Construction Labour Relations Association agreed.

“The building trades unions that I deal with are democratic institutions,” said Clyde Scollan. “The leadership is voted in and out on the basis of their platform. If the members are not happy, they can vote them out. How they chose to spend their money is something they can figure out. We can’t impose our will on people in terms of how they vote.”

Scollan said industry decisions on contracts are based on the most qualified contractor with the lowest price. “That is the modus operandi of the market system,” he said “I am perplexed that the ICBA is suggesting that we move away from this system and put in other criteria.”

Hochstein said the 2009 provincial election in B.C. was extremely close and that is a concern.

“Business people don’t support the NDP directly, so we are launching a campaign to educate them to not support them indirectly, by not hiring contractors whose unions support the NDP and anti-business groups through their union dues,” he said.

According to Hochstein, trade unions spent more than $2 million directly supporting the NDP during the last election, plus political advertising and volunteers.

The so-called anti-business lobby in B.C. includes the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the BC Citizens for Public Power and the BC Health Coalition.

The Buy Merit campaign includes presentations to construction clients and a blog.

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