About Merit
Merit Contractors' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador is a group of open shop construction contractors who provide human resources solutions for their employees such as a comprehensive benefit plan, excellent working conditions, access to all construction sites, meaning and practical training programs, retirement programs, job search assistance, and more.
Merit is dedicated to addressing the issues of the open shop construction sector and is the only voice that speaks to government and other organizations on behalf of our membership. We represent contractors in all trades of the open shop sector of the construction industry, who together with their employees, comprise almost 80% of all construction workers in the province.
A group of construction company owners and senior representatives of 15 general contracting firms concerned about the state of employee relations first founded Merit Contractors’ Association in 1986 in Alberta, following the 1982-85 recession. At the time, recessionary and competitive pressures had emaciated the workforce and had depressed wages. As well, few open shop contractors were providing benefit, retirement or training programs to their employees. Merit’s founders felt a more co-operative approach to employee relations was required in the construction industry.
Merit Contractors' Association is now established in most provinces in Canada and is also affiliated with the open shop associations of Ontario and British Columbia. (Quebec is the only province without an open shop association.) Merit Contractors' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador was formed in 1991, and was re-incorporated in 2001. In September 2003, Merit NL's Board of Directors hired a full-time general manager who set up Merit NL's office in St. John's. Merit NL is a member of Merit Canada).
Programs and Services
Merit provides its member companies and their employees with:
- a comprehensive benefit plan specifically designed for the construction industry
- access to a group retirement and pension plan
- technical and supervisory training programs for employees
- a group home and residence insurance plan
- Merit Perks! program which includes retail and travel discounts
- a free legal advice telephone service (for member contractors only)
- Construction Job Stores (www.constructionjobstores.com) - an employee referral service exclusively for Merit member firms to assist them in finding qualified workers and for job seekers to find them.