Welcome to Merit Contractors Association of Newfoundland and Labrador

Merit Contractors Association is the voice of the open shop construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

We advocate on behalf of our members who are open shop contractors and their employees.

Merit's philosophy is to take a progressive approach to human resources management. Quite simply, we advocate that if an employer looks after their employees, treats them well and with respect, these same employees will be content, productive and loyal. Therefore, Merit's mandate is to provide human resources solutions for open shop construction contractors that build on this premise by providing comprehensive benefit plans, safe and productive working conditions, access to all construction sites, meaningful and practical training programs, retirement programs, job search assistance, and more.

The term “open shop” describes a workplace where membership or non-membership in a union is not a condition of employment. In construction contracting, it especially refers to a situation where owners, architects, developers, construction managers and/or general contractors or others do not consider the union status of a contractor’s employees when awarding a construction contract. For Merit members, the term connotes freedom of choice and fairness in the workplace.

Nearly 80% of the construction industry in Newfoundland and Labrador is comprised of open shop personnel. That figure is comparable to the national average in Canada. In essence, Merit Contractors Association speaks for the smaller company, which comprise the majority of companies construction in the construction industry. However, whether a contractor has three or three hundred employees, their company can be a member of Merit Contractors Association. More...