The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, along with the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, and Winnipeg Construction Association, have been pressing the Province to amend the Manitoba Jobs Agreement (MJA) since it came to light last September.
Through formal complaints, freedom of information requests, direct engagement with government, and sustained public advocacy, our associations have consistently raised concerns about the agreement and its impact on Manitoba’s construction industry.
Over the past month, the three associations have met with senior provincial government officials, and those meetings have produced real movement.
The Province has acknowledged that the MJA needs to change. It has also accepted the principle our associations have argued from the outset: that any amendments must be developed with the direct involvement of the industry associations that represent the contractors doing the work. The government has committed to a consultation process with us before any new agreement is signed.
This is an important step forward, but it is not the end of the process. The Province has committed to consultation, but not yet to specific changes. The current MJA remains in effect, and all obligations on existing MJA-covered projects continue to apply. Our associations will hold the Province to its commitment and keep members informed as consultations move forward.
Ten months of sustained advocacy brought us to this point. We thank our members whose firsthand experience under the MJA helped bring the Province to the table and will continue to inform our work.
