Benefits Of Being a Union Contractor
Let Us Help Your Business
When you associate and partner with Bricklayers Local 1 Alberta, it doesn’t mean you will lose control of your business, it means that you will have the additional support of tradespeople to assist you in growing and developing your business. Your business is your business, and we want nothing more than for you to be successful.
As a Union Contractor you will sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement that was mutually negotiated between the Masonry Contractors Association of Alberta and Bricklayers Local 1 Alberta. Negotiations provide continued commitment by management and labor to provide the best product at a reasonable cost. The wage and benefit structure not only takes into consideration what it takes to compete, but also what it takes to assure a stable workforce. If the signatory contractor can’t compete, we as a union wouldn’t survive, we are a partnership. Our Health and Welfare plan, for example, is self-insured and provides excellent coverage at a very reasonable cost. We also have an excellent defined Pension Plan.
One of our strongest selling points is our member pool. Often, the difference between making a profit and suffering a loss is having the right manpower to get the job done. You’ll work closely with the representatives of Bricklayers Local 1 to make sure that the personnel you need are available when you need them and to draw on a network of other Union offices for out of province projects. Most importantly is that Bricklayers Local 1 will offer help if you need it. Perhaps you are bidding a job in a different province, you need an unusual skill set for an employee, may have business issues to resolve or any other “out of normal” situation; we are here to help. Ultimately the more successful our contractors are, the more successful our team is, and it’s really that simple.
AS A NON SIGNITORY CONTRACTOR YOU MAY HAVE TO:
HIRE AN EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
What about going through employment agencies? Did you know that if you hire someone through one of these trade agencies and that worker gets hurt, your worker’s compensation insurance may not cover them and leave you open to a third-party lawsuit? Bricklayer work requires a level of expertise that employment agencies can’t provide.
SPEND MONEY ON HELP WANTED ADVERTISING
Newspaper ads attract, at best, semiskilled workers who tell you in the office they can do it all, but in the field, often, it’s proven otherwise.
HIRE EMPLOYEES WITH LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE
You may not get the most highly skilled or experienced tradesman. Your decision should be based on value and getting the best employees for the dollars spent.
NEGOTIATE WITH EACH EMPLOYEE INDIVIDUALLY ON WAGES
Not knowing their skill level and previous experience you may find the worker, demanding more money than they are worth.
PURCHASE HEALTH COVERAGE AS A SMALL GROUP
Premiums for small group coverage on an average cost you more and provide minimal coverage at best.
PURCHASE A RETIREMENT PLAN WITH NO GUARANTEE ON RETURNS
Set-up, renewal, and management fees for small group Pension plans dilute the future values and they come with no guarantees and minimal returns.
AS AN LOCAL 1 CONTRACTOR YOU:
HAVE A FLEXABLE WORKFORCE- MANPOWER WHEN NEEDED
Saving you money on labour costs as members are available when you need them, for as long as you need them, even in areas where you don’t usually do business. When you are done, their employment concludes, or you can move them to another job. This provides greater flexibility to bid any type of project, Local 1 members are familiar with all types of Bricklayer work.
KNOW THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE QUALIFIED BRICKLAYERS
Local 1 member’s have to be the best trained, most highly skilled and productive craftsman available anywhere. That means no rework. That means on-time and on-budget. That means no unskilled hands. Meaning improved control of your company’s future with higher productivity and greater profits.
HAVE A WORKFORCE THAT IS DEDICATED TO SAFETY AND THE INDUSTRY
Local 1 stresses the connection between safety and profitability and has a focused workforce that sees a safe, drug-free worksite as a priority. Every Local 1 member puts safety first every time, which means you save on workers’ compensation costs, downtime costs, and absenteeism costs while maintaining profitability.
WORK UNDER A CONTRACT THAT HAS SET WAGES
Which gives you a lower turnover rate, as most of our members are it for a career and not just a job.
PARTICIPATE IN A JOINTLY ADMINISTRATED HEALTH CARE PLAN AND PENSION PLAN THAT COVERS ALL MEMBERS
This is a one-stop solution to your employee’s healthcare and pension plans. Your company would have no benefits administration costs. The package benefit contributions for your employees are administered by Local 1. Your employees would enjoy excellent health and wellness coverage, and a pension. and you don’t have to do any of the work.
UNION CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE GOOD FOR PRODUCTIVITY
The average unionized establishment recorded productivity levels are 16 percent higher than non organized employees. There is a simple reason for this fact, the union workforce is better trained, higher skilled, and of course our contractors are held to a higher standard so they maintain safety policies that are second to none in the industry A safer workforce has certainly the moral and ethical rewards of knowing your employees are going home to their families safe every night but it also has bonus rewards for your bottom line. Higher productivity means higher profits for you.
SUPERVISION
Jobs are lost and companies destroyed by lack of proper supervision. How long does it take you to develop a good foremen or superintendent? How much money does it cost you along the way? One of the most common reasons companies like yours become signatory contractors is that they want to grow. We can suggest qualified supervision. If you could add two foreman and crews next year, how much would that add to your bottom line?
BRICKLAYERS AND ALLIED CRAFTWORKERS CODE OF CONDUCT
I will come to work on time, fit for duty, and ready to work to the highest standards.
Union through and through - craftworkers and contractors exercise mutual respect, on the worksite and through the union.
Build upon my skills and abilities, availing of the finest craftworker and supervisory that the local union and IMTEF provide.
Accept responsibility for the quality of my work, the treatment of my co-workers and behavior on the job.
Commit to a safe and healthy worksite.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you are a contractor looking to hire the best, we are your team. We will work hand in hand with you to make sure you are as successful as you can be. If you are new into the Union type of work environment Local 1 Alberta can help you out.
PAYROLL
In Local 1 as in most Unions, certain pay standards are established. You as the contractor will be given a schedule of rates for apprentice’s right through to General Foreman. Rates are negotiated on a per contract basis, and you of course can have a say on the rates. This relieves you of the burden to negotiate different rates for every individual employee. The contract is a minimum of course and you as the contractor can always go above if you chose. In Local 1 our team is trained in all aspects of the trade. And with such a universal workforce, it is logical that Local 1 maintains universal rate across the board.
Whats next?
Every contractor in this industry has gone into business to make money and to grow. Partnering with Local 1 can assist you in doing just that.
So where do you go from here? While a web page can be helpful in getting some points across, the reality is that most Bricklayer contractors have specific concerns and needs. The only way to address these issues is on an individual basis, one-on-one. No contractor is considered too large or too small. We have shops ranging from 5 people to 60 people working under our agreements The first step, however, is yours. There are no costs to join the Union as a contractor, the member pays union dues. Our signatory contractors agree; it is simply a matter of greater value for the money.
Why not find out what the Local 1 can do for you and your business?
Manpower should be a business decision, where the manpower comes from should be of no consequence.
For further information or to arrange a meeting contact local 1 at 780-426-7545.