Trading accusations

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This article was published 01/06/2021 (1261 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Building Trades has been ousted from the Manitoba Construction Sector Council, over what its executive director believes was a disagreement over a nuanced government initiative regarding micro-credentials.

Although there are differing views as to the rationale of the MCSC board’s vote to expel MBT, the result is about 10,000 workers no longer have a voice at the board room table of a publicly funded sector council.

Sudhir Sandhu, the chief executive officer of MBT, said it was a shock that the board took the action it did.

“It is evident to us that this was a very carefully manufactured crisis… to remove a particular organization,” he said. “We think the micro-credential issue was used as an excuse.”

MBT represents 13 member unions and engages in project partnerships on training and productive labour practices.

Sandhu believes the germ of the expulsion was planted after he made a public comment on a television news item, expressing some reticence about the appropriateness of micro-credential programs and the damage it might cause to apprenticeship programs.

That was in February.

That news was followed by a letter from MCSC’s executive director, Carol Paul (along with chairwoman, Colleen Munro) in early March to three provincial cabinet ministers disavowing Sandhu’s take on micro-credentials.

Among other things, the letter stated, “The comments made, and specifically those relating to micro-credentials, in no way reflect the position of MCSC or its board of directors. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this misinformation may have caused.”

In an email exchange asking why MBT was voted out of the sector council, Paul made no reference to the micro-credential issue.

She said, “The decision to make a governance and relational change between the council and MBT was based on many factors, not any one particular instance.”

She also said, “As they (MBT) have continued to grow in their capacity as a for-profit organization, it became increasingly apparent that the best path forward was to allow our very different mandates to unfold separately, especially given that we are a not-for-profit.”

Sandhu took exception to that characterization, saying the MBT is not-for-profit and holds a very minor stake in a training organization called the Manitoba Building Trades Institute which, along with industry partners like PCL and Bird Construction, undertakes all sorts of training.

The promotion of micro-credentials is a popular buzzword often used these days in the context of short term post-pandemic skills training.

In a recent report from the province called “Manitoba’s Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy” it states that one of the things that can happen in the short term is to “explore opportunities for micro-credentials and layering of credentials that could work in a Manitoba context and across jurisdictions, assisting with economic recovery and helping individuals displaced in the pandemic to quickly top-up their skills and connect to the labour market.”

Among other things Sandhu cautions against a reliance on micro-credentials in the trades fields because of the potential lack of long term options for workers skilled in only one specific task.

“In Toronto there may be enough home building for door hangers or framers, but we can’t afford that in Manitoba,” Sandhu said. “We need to create carpenters who have a full scope of practice.”

He said there is no evidence of workers taking trades-related micro-credential courses going on to enrol in apprenticeship programs in Manitoba.

It’s not clear where this dispute is headed. Sandhu said he hopes cooler heads will prevail.

A spokeswoman for Ralph Eichler, Manitoba’s Minister of Economic Development and Training, whose department funds the sector councils, said, “Government’s role is not to interfere with, or be in support of or against decisions the council makes, and this decision was made independently of government.”

While Paul said, “workers will continue to have a strong voice at MCSC through our many members organizations, partners and stakeholders” it will have the distinction of being the only construction sector council in the country without labour representation.

Marc Lafond, business manager for the Operating Engineers of Manitoba Local 987 and board chairman of MBT said it is the only construction association that represents labour exclusively.

“Manitoba no longer has a true construction sector council if Manitoba Building Trades is not represented,” he said.

The MCSC was founded more than 10 years ago and its founding and only members have been the MBT, Winnipeg Construction Association, Manitoba Home Builders Association and Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca