Unionized Contractors and Tradespeople Join Forces to Create Build Right Nova Scotia

Initiative to Promote Benefits of Unionized Builders

HALIFAX, NS – January 30, 2014 – Unionized tradespeople and the contractors who hire them have joined forces to launch a campaign aimed at promoting the benefits of union-built industrial, commercial and institutional buildings in Nova Scotia. The initiative, entitled “Build Right Nova Scotia,” includes a television spot that highlights the benefits of union-built projects: safety, quality of work, impact on the economy, and superior training of workers. The spot will launch during the Super Bowl, February 2nd, on CTV.

“The general public doesn’t necessarily think about the quality of the buildings they’re in — the school their children attend or the hospital their family uses — and how they are built,” says Trent Soholt, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Construction Sector Council. “Build Right Nova Scotia is a partnership focused on increasing awareness of the unionized construction sector.”

Brad Smith, Executive Director of Mainland Nova Scotia Building and Construction Trades Council, emphasizes the quality of work when unionized tradespeople are employed. “This high-quality work,” says Smith, “is the result of the second-to-none training that is provided to the unionized trades.”

“Trade unions in Nova Scotia invest more than $7 million in training each year, and our research shows that our training programs significantly outperform our non-union counterparts,” adds Smith. “Unions have invested in creating customized facilities for each trade across the province to ensure they have the best environment to deliver these programs.”

Better training, says Smith, leads to more efficient tradespeople. This more efficient performance is why many contractors choose to hire unionized tradespeople. “We build our training programs to ensure the job gets done right the first time, and that saves time on the job,” he says. “We increase efficiency in the marketplace because we are able to respond in real time to labour needs – when it is needed, where it is needed – with a labour pool of more than 11,000 expert construction tradespeople ready to respond at any time.”

This more efficient unionized workforce is also the result of the unionized trades’ focus on safety, according to Jon Mullin, Vice President of Aecon Atlantic Group and Chairman of the Nova Scotia Construction Labour Relations Association. “There’s an unbelievable focus on safety, and not only is that great for our workers, but it also minimizes down time on a job in the long haul, and that can have positive financial impacts for our clients,” says Mullin.

Mullin adds that using unionized trades has an even broader impact.

“When you look at the economic impact, the construction sector itself is one of the province’s key economic drivers, amounting to a four billion dollar a year industry,” says Mullin. “But even more significant is that the unionized building trades includes over 11,000 professional craftspeople, including 2,700 apprentices. That’s 11,000 families who are supported with good pay, health and welfare benefits and pensions. That’s also 11,000 families who spend money in our communities, pay taxes and contribute to the overall economy.”

Mullin says Build Right Nova Scotia partners are also vested in the community, contributing to a number of community causes, as well as dedicating their time and energy to community needs.
The campaign consists of a television spot, “The house that Jack built”, on-line ads, and a website: www.buildrightns.ca

-30-

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Trent Soholt, NSCSC Executive Director
(902) 832-4761
email