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Publications Mail Agreement

No. 40848506

Many hours of work onthe upgrades

at YVR

tradetalkWE BUILD BC™

Winter 2019Vol. 22 no. 4

THE MAGAZINE OF THE BC BUILDING TRADES

PUBLISHED BY THEBC BUILDING TRADES

EDITORTom Sigurdson

EDITORIAL SERVICESFace to Face Communications Canadian Freelance Union

DESIGN/PHOTOGRAPHYJoshua Berson PhotoGraphics Ltd.UFCW 1518 UNIFOR LOCAL 780G

ADVERTISINGShane DysonCanadian Freelance Union

Claudia FerrisUNIFOR LOCAL 780G

Tradetalk Magazine is published four times a year by the BC BUILDING TRADES#207 88 10th St. New Westminster, B.C. V3M [email protected]

All rights reserved. Material published may bereprinted providing permission is granted andcredit is given. Views expressed are those of theauthors. No statements in the magazine expressthe policies of the BC BUILDING TRADES, exceptwhere indicated.

The council represents 25 local unions belongingto 13 international unions. There are approximately 35,000 unionized construction workers in B.C.

Winter 2019

ISSN 1480-5421Printed in Canada by Mitchell Press

Base Subscription Rate ––$24 Cdn. per year in Canada and the U.S.For subscriptions outside Canada and theU.S.––$32 Cdn. per year.

Phil Venoit, President; Electrical Workers Tony Santavenere, Vice President TeamstersHamish Stewart, Secretary-Treasurer, BCRC CarpentersGeoff Higginson, Bricklayers & Allied Trades Roy Bizzutto, Cement MasonsNeil Munro, Insulators Dan Jajic, IUPAT District Council 38Doug Parton, IronworkersNav Malhotra, LabourersMiro Maras, MillwrightsBrian Cochrane, Operating EngineersDarrell Hawk, Pile DriversAl Phillips, Plumbers and PipefittersJim Paquette, Sheet Metal Workers & Roofers Jim Pearson, UNITE HERE

Tom Sigurdson, Executive Director

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40848506 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:#207 88 10th St.New Westminster, B.C. V3M 6H8

tradetalk WINTER 2019the magazine of the bC building trades

Tradetalk is printed on Forest Stewardship Council ®certified paper from responsible sources. The FSC® is an

independent, not-for-profit organization promoting responsiblemanagement of the world's forests.

Contents4 Court agrees with three of four arguments

CBA court challenge update7 A nice fit with carpenter union's goals

YVR's 20-year plan12 How the Building Trades secured work on the TMX

Rarely seen/behind the scenes15 Labour lawyer, activist to take reins of BC Building Trades

Andrew Mercier16 Trailblazers gather in Minneapolis

Build TogetHER19 Results not bad and could have been much worse

Federal election analysis20 Eager young people want to get into the unionized trades

Trades Opportunity Group Job Fair22 Certification takes concrete pumping to new level

New training and certification23 Advice and mentorship to boost completion rates

Apprenticeship advisors26 Business community doesn't understand who creates value

Reprehensible behaviour28 Running away from problems doesn't count as cardio!

Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan29 Vancity grant helps newcomers to the trades and green technology

Guest article30 Hotel workers' struggles confront many workers

Union solidarity

Cover: Carpenter apprentices BarbaraJames, Julian Layco andJelissa Soledad are receiving full-scope tradestraining while working onthe upgrades at YVR.

Photo: Joshua Berson

Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 3

4 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Winter 2019

Starting Point

We welcome your comments...Send letters to the editor to [email protected] and please includeyour name, address, phone number and, where relevant, union affiliation,trade or company.

The non-union/anti-union/quasi-union construction sector, upset aboutthe Community Benefits Agreementprogram, challenged the provincialNDP government in BC SupremeCourt last spring.

Well-known corporate lawyer PeterGall is representing 15 groups and indi-viduals, including the IndependentContractors and BusinessesAssociation and the Christian LabourAssociation of Canada.

The BC Building Trades (and theAllied Infrastructure and RelatedConstruction Council-AIRCC) are rep-resented by Charles Gordon. “Therewere four discreet aspects and we suc-ceeded on three of the four,” he said.

The case went to court in May andGordon argued that the BCBT andAIRCC should be named as respon-dents along with the provincial govern-ment. “They are clearly impacted,” hesaid. “They are definitely interestedparties and there is an obvious clearinterest in the outcome.” The decisioncame down in July and the courtagreed.

In addition, Gordon argued that theissues being raised by Gall are a matterfor the BC Labour Relations Board andthat the BC Supreme Court does nothave jurisdiction to hear the case at all.The court agreed with this, too.

Gordon said Gall also tried to chal-lenge CBAs on charter groundsbecause people are required to joinBuilding Trades unions to work onthese infrastructure projects. “But thecourt accepted our arguments” disput-ing this position.

However, the court found oneaspect that could proceed, he added.That was the opponents' claim thatCBAs are payback by the governmentto the BC Building Trades for its sup-port during the last provincial election.“That part of it is continuing,” saidGordon, “and will be addressed duringthe week of Feb. 3 (2020).

“They're claiming that it (CBAs) areunrelated to policy objectives. (But)there are clear and compelling reasonsfor the government to implementthem...We feelconfident inour position,that therewere goodpolicy reasonsfor the govern-ment tochoose theproject labouragreementmodel, which

is what the CBA is, and the courtshould not intervene in a policy deci-sion of the government.”

CBA court challenge update

Court agreeswith three offour arguments

Union solidarity for workers on the picket line at Ledcor Technical Servicesin Port Coquitlam —The members of theInternational Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers, who have been fighting for acollective agreement for two years, werejoined by members of UA Canada,LiUNA 1611, Cement Masons Local 919,BC Insulators and Scabby the Rat(donated by IUOE Local 115) inOctober. A few days later, workers rallied and marched from Canada Placeto Ledcor's office on West Hastings.

José

Lam

car

toon


tom sigurdsonFrom the editor

Thank you! Thank you for giving methe honour of being your executivedirector for the past number of years. Iwas first hired into the position in 1997and left in 2003 to work in Ottawa asthe director of political and legislativeaffairs for Canada’s Building TradesUnions. I returned as the BC BuildingTrades executive director in 2011 andhave been in that role since. As this is thelast editorial I will write, it is time forreflection.

Over the course of those years, wehave been witness to some very signifi-cant changes that have impacted the BCBuilding Trades. In 1997, the NDP hadjust been re-elected (1996) with GlenClark as premier. The Island Highway wasunder construction as a PLA; theMillennium SkyTrain was negotiatedunder the conditions of the IslandHighway agreement; BC Hydro workwas still being done under the decades-old Allied Hydro Agreement. While notall public work was being done under aPLA, our relationship with the Clark gov-ernment was generally positive.

In 2001, the BC Liberals led byGordon Campbell, were elected andalmost immediately the Building Tradeswere in the crosshairs of the govern-ment. Campbell and his cohorts got ridof all compulsory certification for trades,making B.C. the only province withoutthem. They eviscerated the apprentice-ship system, which in no small part con-tributes to the skills shortage we experi-ence today. The amendments to theLabour Code and subsequent LabourRelations Board appointments all butassured union density in the constructionindustry would be drastically reduced(and the bastards were correct).

At the federal level, the federalLiberals were government until 2006when Stephen Harper and hisConservatives were elected. Over thecourse of the Harper administration theBuilding Trades, as well as all unions inCanada, were targets. Bills C-377 and C-525 took direct aim at the work ofunions in Canada and had those bills sur-vived, union density in our countrywould have suffered continued erosion.

The federal Liberals got rid of thosebills in 2015 and, even better, began towork with the unionized sector to pro-mote skilled-trades apprenticeshipsthrough a number of programs beneficialto our training centres. The federal gov-ernment forged new partnerships with

provincial governments for very neces-sary infrastructure projects, which trans-lated into more work for constructionworkers.

In 2017, the BC NDP resumed gov-ernment and immediately got to workon Community Benefits Agreement pro-jects. The NDP recognized the need formore training and apprenticeship oppor-tunities and have designated a number ofprojects where contractors will have toprovide for more apprentice hires, morewomen on the tools and betterIndigenous inclusion. We have been pro-moting all of those components foryears. For too long our lobbying effortswere completely ignored by theCampbell and Clark Liberals. PremierJohn Horgan and the NDP have listenedand responded with the full recognitionthat if we don’t bring more people intothe construction trades, the skilledtrades shortage will impact future eco-nomic investment and our provincialeconomy as a whole.

Over the course of all the politicalturmoil, the directors of the BC Building

Trades have remained steadfast. Underthe leadership of presidents Don McGill(Teamsters), Charlie Peck (IBEW), GaryKroeker (IUOE), Lee Loftus (Insulators),Dave Holmes (DC 38) and Phil Venoit(IBEW), the council has had a chartedcourse of action. We have focused onwhat we do best: supply the best skilledworkers to the project to get the jobdone right the first time. The legacy weleave when the job is done is more thanstructural: it is the skillsets we providethe apprentice, it is the economic activitywe help generate in the communitieswhere we work and where we live, it isthe lives we make better because weadd value for individuals, the communi-ties and the country.

For those of you who work the tools,I have had the honour to speak of yourskills and the benefits you bring to thejob every day. I have told your storieswhen speaking with politicians and indus-try leaders. I have been proud and hon-oured to represent you. We have pro-jects aplenty over the coming years solet’s do what we do best: We Build B.C.

the building trades—Who we arePhone Web address

BC Building Trades 778-397-2220 www.bcbuildingtrades.orgaffiliated unionsBC Regional Council of Carpenters 250-383-8116 bcrcc.ca

Floorlayers Local 1541 604-524-6900 bcrcc.caMillwrights Local 2736 604-525-2736 millwrights2736.comPiledrivers Local 2404 604-526-2404 piledrivers2404.ca

Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 2 604-584-2021 bac2bc.orgCement Masons & Plasterers Local 919 604-585-9198 opcmia919.orgConstruction & Specialized Workers Local 1611 604-541-1611 cswu1611.orgElectrical Workers Local 213 (L. Mainland) 604-571-6500 ibew213.orgElectrical Workers Local 230 (V. Island) 250-388-7374 ibew230.orgElectrical Workers Local 1003 (Nelson) 250-354-4177 ibew1003.orgElectrical Workers Local 993 (Kamloops) 250-376-8755 ibew993.orgInsulators Local 118 604-877-0909 insulators118.orgIUPAT District Council 38 604-524-8334 dc38.caIronworkers Local 97 604-879-4191 ironworkerslocal97.comOperating Engineers Local 115 604-291-8831 iuoe115.caPlumbers & Pipefitters Local 170 604-526-0441 plumbers.bc.caPlumbers and Pipefitters Local 324 250-382-0415 ualocal324.comRefrigeration Workers Local 516 604-882-8212 ua516.orgSheet Metal, Roofers and

Production Workers Local 280 (Vancouver) 604-430-3388 smw280.orgSheet Metal, Roofers and

Production Workers Local 276 (Victoria) 250-727-3458 smwia276.caTeamsters Local 213 604-876-5213 teamsters213.orgUNITE HERE Local 40 604-291-8211 uniteherelocal40.org

Tradetalk editor retires

A time to reflect


CANADA’S BUILDING TRADES UNIONS THANK TOM SIGURDSON FOR HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO THE BUILDING TRADES


Articles by David HogbenPhotos by Joshua Berson

A constant stream of passenger jetstook off and landed on nearby runwaysas carpenters and apprentices set rein-forcing rebar into place high atop thewalls of the Vancouver InternationalAirport’s central utilities building(CUB) construction project. This pro-ject (alongside the new six-storeyparkade, which is under way on thesame work site) is part of YVR’s $9.1billion 20-year expansion program.

EllisDon workers and heavy equip-ment moved about the complex pro-ject that will house the airport’s heat-ing, cooling and electrical equipmentabove one of Canada’s largestGeoExchange systems. Construction isexpected to be completed in 2021.

“We are really trying to build a greatteam of carpenters here, keep themunder our wing,” EllisDon assistantsuperintendent Benjamin Quintinexplained. “We have got a lot of car-penters here who have worked forEllisDon for 30 or 40 years. They don’thave to hop from job to job.”

The CUB will sit atop a field of athousand 500-foot deep wells that willtap into the earth’s internal heat toprovide heating and cooling support

for the airport terminal. The 16 MWsystem is designed to help achieveYVR’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

The new six-storey parkade willconnect to the existing parkade. It willhave more than 2,100 parking stallsand about 665 car-rental stalls. About10 per cent of parking stalls will haveelectric vehicle charging stations. Anautomated parking guidance systemwill guide drivers to vacant parkingspots and reduce vehicle emissions.

Even more remarkable than the“closed-loop” geothermal heating andcooling system-that will require noadditional water to be pumped in orout and that will help YVR meet itsgreenhouse gas emission reduction tar-gets-are how apprenticeship trainingon the project is transforming lives ofa diverse group of young BritishColumbians.

“Currently, EllisDon’s crew of car-penters is made up of over eight percent women. This is double our councilaverage and nearly doubles the nationalaverage for women working in con-struction trades,” said B.C. Regional

Council of Carpenters representativeKristine Byers.

The relatively high number of femaleworkers on the EllisDon YVR job ispart of the B.C. Regional Council ofCarpenters’ 2017 commitment to dou-ble its female membership by 2023.

“In 2017, three per cent of ourmembership were female and today wehave 4.5 per cent, Byers said. She saidthe BCRCC is working together toincrease job-site diversity by using thenatural diversity that exists in localcommunities.

“The BC Regional Council ofCarpenters has been doing communityoutreach throughout the province withvarious organizations includingACCESS, Open Door Group, andother WorkBC initiatives such asCAVE and PLEA Community Services,”Byers said. “This summer the BCRCCparticipated in several intro-to-tradecourses at the United Brotherhood ofCarpenters’ Training Centre in Delta, incollaboration with other buildingtrades unions.”

YVR's 20-year plan: A nice fit with carpenter

union's goals

Victor Gillard and Lynn Michaels working on a form wall in the parking lot structureat Vancouver International Airport.

Continued on following page


BC Building Trades affiliates on site at YVR

• BCRC of Carpenters Local 1907 • International Brotherhood of Electrical

Workers Local 213 • Ironworkers Local 97• LiUNA Local 1611• Operating Engineers Local 115 • Pile Drivers Local 2404 • Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 170

General contractor EllisDon isencouraging subcontractors to engagewith the Musqueam Nations and otherlocal First Nation groups and hire fromtraditionally under-represented groups.As a result there are a large proportionof young workers, women, Indigenouspeople and international workers whoare applying for permanent residency.

YVR continued from previous page

Jelissa Soledad had been workingfor EllisDon on the YVR project fortwo months. “It’s my first real con-struction job.”

Soledad was working as an eventsplanner when she decided she want-ed something different in life. Shesaid she has been interested in car-pentry since high school, but with itso dominated by men, she neverpursued it as a career.

“As I grew older I realized Ishould do what I love, do what Iwant to do. Who cares what otherpeople think?”

Soledad’s next step was the B.C.Women in Trades program. “I got thesupport, because I joined theWomen in Trades program. We weretaught how to safely use tools andget familiar with everything.”

They even received tool belts andsafety shoes.

Soledad is focused on learning hertrade, getting her ticket and continu-ing to learn.

“EllisDon is a really great compa-ny. They support education and itwould be really great to grow withthem.”

Journeyperson carpenters canearn more than $100,000 a yearworking on a project like the YVRCentral Utilities Building projectwithout even leaving town, but thatis not what is most important.

“To be honest, money isn’t thebiggest thing for me. It is job satisfac-tion and constantly being able tolearn something new.”

Soledad said the company and theunion both support women on thejob.

“I know there are a lot of womenout there who like working withtheir hands. They like to get dirty.They like to do things that the guysdo, but they are a little bit worriedthat they won’t be able to do it. Ihad a lot of those thoughts, but Ijust got into and there is a lot ofsupport,” she said.

A lot of that support comes fromthe growing numbers of women onthe job site.

“We have some really talentedjourneywomen in the trades. Thereis so much support coming fromeverywhere. There is nothing to fear;you should just go for it.”

Jelissa SoledadOn the tools and always learning


AHCALLIED HYDRO COUNCIL #207-88 Tenth St, New Westminster BC V3M 6H8 778-397-2220

A proven construction model for the next generation of workers.We at the Allied Hydro Council would like to recognize, honour, and thank Tom Sigurdson for his time as executive director of the BC Building Trades. Tom’s unceasing dedication to the labour movement and to unionized construction workers across the province, acts as a model for future leaders in B.C.

The Allied Hydro Council has been negotiating agreements with B.C.’s construction unions for the construction of hydroelectric dams since 1963. These agreements ensure fair wages, good benefits, apprenticeships, local hire, career access to women and Indigenous people and environmental improvements.

Julian Layco, a first-year car-pentry apprentice, left a jobdoing maintenance for theVancouver School Board towork for EllisDon.

The VSB job was good, butthere was little opportunityto learn and to advance.

“It was a bit repetitive. Itwasn’t really challenging forme,” Layco said. “I do like tochallenge myself every day.”For Layco, carpentry was anatural choice.

“I wanted to follow in mydad’s footsteps,” he explained.His father taught him how touse the tools of the tradedoing home renovations andother side jobs. The prepara-tion was valuable, but a largescale, complex constructionproject is something different.

“What goes into a projectlike this is all new to me.” Heis building forms for theCentral Utilities Building,learning new things every dayand meeting many talentedpeople on the job site.

“I am learning a lot and

creating a lot of great rela-tionships with the wholecrew.”

Some days are intense, likewhen a large concrete pour isunderway, and when there arefrustrations you must remainpositive and focused. “Youkeep your mind on the taskand keep going,” he said.

Layco is learning as muchas he can on the YVR job andis still uncertain what type ofcarpentry he would like toconcentrate on in the future.When he discusses his futurehe talks about integrating artinto carpentry.

“I am exploring. I find moreof a passion in finishing car-pentry. That is mainly cabinetmaking, finishing people’shomes.

“The money and benefits ofworking for a good companyon a union site are attractive.They support you in everyway possible. They are alwaysbehind you to back you up.”

Julian LaycoLarge construction project provides another view of the trade

Continued on following page

10 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Summer 2019

YVR continued from previous page

Second-year carpentry apprenticeBarbara James, 32, is one of the work-ers whose career and life are beingtransformed by the training providedher on the CUB project and parkinglot expansion construction site.

James, a Kwakiutl First Nationswoman originally from Port Hardy, wasworking non-union, subcontractingformwork jobs for three years whenfrustration motivated her to visitACCESS Trades Training andApprenticeship programs, an organiza-tion that helps Indigenous Canadiansget trades training.

“They suggested I try the union. Iwas having bad luck with subcontract-ing and not getting paid.”

James is already planning how shewill reach out and help other youngworkers when she completes her training.

“I want to get my Red Seal. And afterhaving my Red Seal for five years, myinstructor at BCIT suggested I comeback and teach. He thinks I would be agood teacher.”

With her experience in concrete,James helped teach parts of the courseto other young apprentices and wastold she had the communication skillsand patience necessary to be a goodteacher.

“I never considered it before, but

after hearing that, that is all I thinkabout,” James said. “It is very flattering.”

James attended the Trades WomenBuild Nations conference inMinneapolis, Minnesota last Octoberand returned inspired to help others.

“I loved it. It was so empowering tohave so many like-minded women inone room,” she said. “It makes you real-ize that you are not alone.”

James said she has learned in recentyears not to be hard on herself and nottry to meet the expectations of others.

“Everyone has a different path. Youdo not have to graduate, go to post-secondary, get married, have children.”

And the struggles that she has had inher life, will help her understand andhelp others face similar challenges.

“I would like to focus on Indigenouswomen, and also on foster kids. Iwould like to reach out to foster kidswho are about to age out of care andstuff.”

Every day on the job she developscarpentry and leadership skills that takeher closer to her dreams.

Her foreman is training James as alead hand “which is not typical for anapprentice, but because of my leader-ship skills and knowledge in concrete Iguess he feels I am the most capableworking with everyone else when he isnot there.”

Barbara JamesUnion work brings multiple benefits and opportunities


Community Benefits Agreementsraise standards of living for all

Phil venoit

Phil Venoit, ibeW local 230, rse

President’s view

Community Benefits Agreements raise standards of living for all

It has been no secret that union busting and impedingthe right of workers to form unions has been in voguesince the 1980s. Unionization rates in the private sectorhave fallen dramatically.

The result has not been a boon to any business thatdepends on consumer spending. Instead, it’s driven thedecline in Canada’s middle class. If workers have more dis-posable income, those people and their families are morelikely to shop at local stores rather than having to go with-out or purchase second hand.

The smug conclusion that “unions are no longer needed”is grossly out of date. There is more income disparity nowthan existed just before the stock market crash of 1929.Unless we want to repeat that experience of anotherGreat Depression, we need to make sure that the workingclass get their fair share of the nation's wealth and, to dothat, we need to make private sector unions a thing again!It was higher rates of unionization that led to the rise ofthe middle class and the prosperity of the 1950s, '60s and'70s. The fact that robber-baron capitalism and measles areboth trending upward again should tell us how little we’velearned from our own history.

Implementing Community Benefits Agreements through-out B.C. on vertical construction projects will result ingreater prosperity for all construction workers, as betterwages and actual benefits that help raise the standard ofliving for working-class families is just good social policy.

The fact is, unions are not only good for workers, theyare also good for the middle class and B.C.’s economy.Unions raise wages of the employees they represent allow-ing for extra money to be circulated throughout theircommunities. They increase the retirement, medical, dentaland extended healthcare benefits of those same employees,and that leads to pensioners with spending money. Unionsreduce income inequality and even increase the pay of non-union workers by creating a regional job classification stan-dard and reduce employee turnover and therefore increase

the retention of the highest skilled tradesmen andtradeswomen in B.C.

B.C.’s construction unions, collectively by far, sign off onthe most completed apprenticeship training. It is for thesekey reasons that the BC NDP government established theCommunity Benefits Agreement.

On a final note and with mixed emotions, we are aboutto say “goodbye and good luck” to a friend and a Brotherwho has steered the BC Building Trades through some ofour toughest of times. Our executive director for the pasttwo decades, Brother Tom Sigurdson, has announced hisretirement for the end of the year. I say “mixed emotions”because it’s hard to see someone go who has given andsacrificed so much of his time, energy, intellectual and emo-tional capital for the benefit of our movement. And yethow, as trade unionists, can we expect for one of us to notenjoy their full retirement. A benefit we have all worked sohard and fought for, the right to retire in dignity. So, Tom,wherever the balance of life takes you, on behalf of theentire BC Building Trades membership, I would like tothank you for a job well done, and hope your best yearsare yet to come!

SHEET METAL, ROOFER AND PRODUCTION WORKERS

LOCAL UNION 280

BUSINESS MANAGER JIM PAQUETTE

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE KEN ELWORTHY

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD MANGELSDORF

BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE TROY CLUTCHEY

PHONE 604-430-3388 TOLL-FREE [email protected] www.smw280.org

LOC AND PRO

SHEET

CAL UNION 280 ODUCTION WORKERS

AL, ROOFER T MET TAL, ROOFER

.smwwwwinfo@smw

O TPHONE 604-430-3388

TIVE AATIVE BUSINESS REPRESENT TA



BUSINESS MANAGER

LOC

w280.orgw280.org

OLL-FREE 1-800-242-8645

CLUTCHEYTROY

RICHARD MANGELSDORF

THYWORKEN EL LWOR

AQUETTEJIM P PAQUETTE

CAL UNION 280


By George ThomasSpecial to Tradetalk

For decades, pipelines have trans-ported commodities throughout ourcountry; indeed, pipelines have carriedCanadian energy resources not onlyeast to west but from north to southinto the United States where they havethen been shipped to an energy-starvedworld.

Shipping our resources for worldconsumption has long been a challengeas for the most part, our product isdestined almost exclusively to a singlepurchaser–the United States. And withonly one customer, our resources aresold at discounted rates. The price forWestern Canadian Select on Nov. 14was $45.52 while West TexasIntermediate was $56.81. At times, thespread between WCS and WTI haseven been greater. Our resources werecaptive to the dictates of a single mar-ket. In order to get better value for ourproduct, we need to access the rest ofthe world who want Canadian energy.

Access to tide water, continueddomestic supply

We have long realized the only wayto export Canadian energy is to getthe product to tide water. There havebeen multiple proposals for pipelineconstruction for years. The EnbridgeNorthern Gateway proposal was can-celled. The TransCanada Energy Eastproposal was cancelled. The only pro-

ject that has a realistic goal of trans-porting Canadian Energy to tide wateris the Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX)project. (The existing line was built inthe 1950–by Building Trades members.)

TMX will expand the existing 1,150-kilometre pipeline from the Alberta oilsands to the Burnaby terminal. Theexpansion will triple the currentpipeline capacity so diluted bitumencan be shipped to Asian markets. Thepipeline is the only pipeline on thecontinent that pumps batches of crudeand refined oils at the same time. Sothe expansion is not only for export ofdiluted bitumen for off-shore con-sumption but diesel and gas–the verystuff we put in our vehicles whichaffords us the opportunity to enjoyour quality of life.

Pipeline controversyTo say that pipeline construction is

controversial would be an understate-ment! Environmentalists decry the pro-ject as it will increase Canada’sGreenhouse Gas (GHGs) emissions.While it is likely Canadian GHGs willincrease due to the project, it is alsotrue that providing Asian countrieswith cleaner burning energy sourceswill lessen the amount of wood, dungand coal being used as energy sources.But let’s save that argument for anoth-er time.

The Building Trades; theGovernment of Canada; Kinder

Morgan (The Good; The Bad; The Ugly)

Pipeline controversy was not justlimited to the environmental protest-ers in the streets and on the BurnabyMountain site. While hundreds demon-strated, thousands of others quietlysupported the proposed project. (AnIpsos poll conducted in June of 2019shows 60 per cent of BritishColumbians support the project.)

Building Trades members have beenresponsible for pipeline constructionfrom the beginning. Pipeline companieshave literally built tens of thousands ofkilometres of pipeline using the skilledmembers from our local unions. Butthe Kinder Morgan TMX pipeline pro-posal was wanting to build the projectvery differently–they wanted to buildthe expansion with non-union con-tractors, which of course translated tothose contractors employing a non-union workforce with question-able skills.

Building Trades representatives fromall levels (local union business man-agers and agents as well as interna-tional representatives) attendednumerous meetings with KinderMorgan. “All of us know that pipelinesare the most efficient and safest trans-port system to bring natural resourcesto markets…” said Tom Sigurdson,executive director for the BC BuildingTrades, “... it only made sense for us tobe on board and supporting theexpansion of Kinder Morgan’s TMX

BC Regional Council of CarpentersC A R P E N T E R S • S C A F F O L D E R S • F L O O R L A Y E R S

Call: 888.217.9320Email: [email protected]

Trans Mountain Pipeline

We can't have the non-unionsector building capacity


project. Little did we know how dras-tically that would change. ”

At one meeting, Kinder Morganmanagement invited local and interna-tional union representatives to attenda project update. The update lastedhours and at the end of the presenta-tion, the Kinder Morgan officialsadvised that our contractors and thusour members would not be workingthe project. “We all left the meetingwondering just WTF happened,” saidSigurdson.

The TMX project, while it was stillowned by Kinder Morgan, continued inits work to secure the necessaryapprovals. They continued to reach outto the Building Trades suggesting thatsome component of the work wouldbe available for union members. Andwe in the Building Trades continued togenerally support pipeline developmentand cautiously support the KM TMXproject.

Meetings between KM TMX contin-ued with the international reps of thefour unions that build pipelines inCanada: the International Brotherhoodof Teamsters (IBT), United Associationof Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA),Labourers International Union ofNorth America (LiUNA) andInternational Union of OperatingEngineers (IUOE). RepresentativesLionel Railton (IUOE), PatrickCampbell (IUOE), Heiko Wiechern(UA), Mark Olsen (LiUNA) and GaryKitchen (IBT) had numerous meetingswith the leadership of KM TMX andmanaged to secure small componentsof the project.

While continuing to support the offi-cers and staff in the various localunions, the representatives from thefour unions worked together on theTMX file. “Obviously we have a philo-sophical bent that this pipeline has tobe built,” said Railton. “The product isimportant to us because it employs alot of our men and women...The TransMountain Pipeline is a major project inour space, in our jurisdiction.”

Campbell said, “We've constructed95 per cent of the NEB pipelines inCanada. All four trades working in oiland gas are signatory to three nationalcollective agreements.” Not getting thework, “would have been a major blowto our industry.”

Government buys TMXIn May of 2018, the federal govern-

ment announced it purchased the TransMountain Pipeline from Kinder Morganand the attention turned from meetingwith a private corporation to lobbyingpoliticians.

“Big projects are extremely difficult

continued on following page

Construction taking place at Westridge Marine Terminal in North Vancouver.

Work is under way at Burnaby Terminal in north Burnaby.

One of many stockpiles of pipe for the Trans Mountain Pipeline.


to execute,” Railton said. “The only wayis if it is done in the national interest,so the government of Canada steppedin. And kudos to the government forhaving the vision to do that. Now wehad Spread 1 out of Alberta and Spread4 north of Kamloops to Blue Riverwhich made up 28 per cent of thepipeline work. But we wanted Spread 7in Burnaby to the terminal. It has themost diverse amount of work: marine,the tank farm and the tunnel. Two mil-lion metres of material is coming offBurnaby Mountain. We told IanAnderson, who remained in charge ofthe project, 'We've got to talk to thenew owner.’”

Multiple meetings were held withcabinet ministers and high-rankingbureaucrats, and sometimes the primeminister was present. “We told them,'We've ticked off all the boxes that thegovernment insisted on and funded.We're engaging Indigenous communi-ties, bringing in new skilled workers,advancing women in the trades–(If wedon't get the work) all those funds willbe sunk.' Despite our good relationshipwith them (government leaders), wereally put their feet to the fire.”

Partners with the industryCarrying the messages of the

Canadian Association of PetroleumProducers, the international reps com-municated strongly with their localunion members in Alberta and B.C.“This is a nation-building project,” saidCampbell. “It will be all Canadians whobenefit from the royalties and 15,000construction jobs. Construction work-ers won't be spending their money inSingapore. There will be a ripple effect.”

Opposition to the project “affectsgrowth in the oil sands,” added

Wiechern (UA). “It's scaring investorsaway. (But) they're just leaving theprovince and reinvesting their capitaldown south. But there continues to befour million barrels leaving the oil sandsevery day. The bitumen hasn't stopped.We're still building capacity but it'sgoing by railway. There are 350,000 bar-rels a day moving by rail and rail com-panies want to increase that.”

Olsen (LiUNA) said, “It may soundlike I'm pushing the corporate line butit is the most environmentally con-scious project in the world. I've seenhow they pull back the forest (in theAlberta oil sands), mine the sand in anopen pit, extract the bitumen from thesand and then put the sand and borealforest back in place. You would never

know the area had been mined. It's eth-ically and environmentally produced.Why would we use oil from othercountries like Venezuela? We want toexport to China.

“We had six years of constant pres-sure on the Trans Mountain team, con-stant lobbying of provincial and federalgovernments and messaging to ourmembers. And, in the end, it paid off.”

“We have 1.6 million hours (50 percent of the overall work) now,” saidRailton. “What matters to me is, from anational perspective, we don't want,and can't have, the non-union sectorbuilding capacity. We can't push it anyfurther down the road but we will beactive in trying to organize the otherportions of work.” Stay tuned!

TMX continued from previous page

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Labour lawyer Andrew Mercier willtake the reins of the B.C. Building TradesCouncil as executive director next month.

Mercier will replace Tom Sigurdson,who joined the council in 2010 after alengthy career in political and legislativeaffairs. Sigurdson will remain with thecouncil as an advisor until March 2020.

“With his past political experience andadvocacy, and his stellar work as legalcounsel for Teamsters Local 213, Andrewis well-positioned to lead B.C.’s unionizedconstruction sector into the nextdecade,” said BCBT president Phil Venoit.

“We’re thrilled to have him in this role.”Mercier graduated from Dalhousie

University’s Schulich School of Law in2017, joining the Teamsters as legal coun-sel that same year, where he was respon-sible for grievance arbitration, judicialreviews and labour relations. He won asignificant arbitration earlier this yearagainst a company that tried to contractout certain work, in violation of the col-lective agreement.

Fighting on behalf of working peoplecame naturally for Mercier, havingwatched his mom, a nurse, spend yearsbattling the Workers’ Compensation sys-tem after enduring multiple back and kneeinjuries at work.

“She suffered a lot,” recalls Mercier ofhis mom’s pain. “When you watch some-one close to you experience the bureau-cratic and regulatory structures that aresupposed to serve working people, yousoon realize that those systems can in factdisempower or even hurt people, too.”

With his mom working as a nurse andhis dad a police officer, Mercier grew upwith the belief that if you observed aninjustice, you should try to fix it. Thus noone was surprised when a 25-year-oldMercier got involved with Adrian Dix’scampaign for the leadership of the BC

NDP. He was also active with the federalparty, managing Piotr Majkowski’s Langleycampaign in 2011. Majkowski garnered11,235 votes, which marked the bestshowing for the party ever in that riding.

Then in 2013, Mercier went from sup-porter and manager to candidate when, at27, he became the youngest NewDemocrat to run for a seat in the provin-cial election.

By 2018, Mercier had expanded hispolitical experience to include a run forLangley City Council on a platform ofaffordable housing and transportation. Thefirst-time council candidate finished 128votes shy of election.

Fast-forward to 2019, and Mercier isready for another challenge, this time toadvance the interests of B.C.’s 35,000unionized construction workers. He seesbringing back compulsory trades, launch-ing an independent Labour Code reviewfor the construction sector and securingadditional projects under the province’sCommunity Benefits Agreement frame-work as priorities.

“A healthy, robust construction sectoris important to our provincial economy aswell as to the thousands of men andwomen who work so hard building ourroads, our bridges, and our buildings,” saidMercier. “We have a huge role to playensuring that these workers who buildour province are well-trained, well-paid,well-represented, and able to go home atthe end of every day to their families.”

Labour lawyer, activist to takereins of BC Building Trades


By Corry Anderson-FennellBCBT Communications Director

Apprentice carpenter Barbara Jamesis accustomed to being the onlywoman on a job site–after all, womenaccount for only four per cent of theskilled construction trades in B.C.

So imagine what it was like to sud-denly be among more than 2,800tradeswomen from trades and jurisdic-tions across North America andbeyond.

“I’m usually the only female form-worker on a job site, so it was amaz-ing to see so many like-mindedwomen come together,” said James, amember of the BC Regional Councilof Carpenters (BCRCC). “Listening tothe testimonials of othertradeswomen and also their trials andtribulations was a good reality check.We’ve come so far over the years but there is always room for improvement.”

James and Aynsley Homenuk, also anapprentice carpenter with BCRCC,were sponsored by BC Building Tradesaffiliates to attend Tradeswomen BuildNations, which is the largest gatheringof its kind in the world. For nine years,tradeswomen from across NorthAmerica and even around the worldhave been gathering annually to sup-port and inspire each other, share best

practices, learn about opportunities inthe industry and engage with top lead-ers from government, industry and the15 biggest international building tradesunions.

“I met some incredible women, andheard some incredible stories–goodand bad,” said Homenuk. “Part of meis thrilled for how much women areadvancing in the trades and the otherpart of me is saddened by how manystereotypes go along with womenwanting to begin or change careerpaths.”

Homenuk said she was thrilled tobe part of an event where hundreds ofpeople can come together and findcommon ground to enact change.“Strangers coming together, laughing,sharing stories and supporting oneanother is something I will remem-ber forever and can't wait to be partof again.”

Added James: “I’m a firm believerthat everything happens for a reasonand I know Aynsley and I were meantto bring back these great ideas to ourunion and to our job sites.”

Organized by North America’sbuilding Trades Unions (NABTU),Tradeswomen Build Nations was heldOct. 4 to 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The conference featured a day of ser-vice with Haven House AscensionPlace and Second Harvest Heartland,formal plenary sessions and over 25workshops on a range of topicsaddressing the unique and criticalissues of tradeswomen.

“This conference grows exponential-ly every year, and the impact is phe-nomenal,” said NABTU president SeanMcGarvey. “NABTU is committed toempowering current and futuretradeswomen as we increase opportu-nities for and retention rates ofwomen in fulfilling union trade careers.Every day, we recruit more womeninto great union construction appren-ticeships and careers, and these trail-blazing tradeswomen are moving up inthe top ranks of leadership. This con-ference is a celebration of these trail-blazers and a testament to the growthof tradeswomen among our ranks.”

Participants took to the streets ofdowntown Minneapolis for a paradeand rally on Oct. 5. The conferenceconcluded on Oct. 6 with a keynotespeech by UA Union GeneralPresident Mark McManus and anapprenticeship pathways panel led byArlene Dunn, director of Canada’sBuilding Trades Unions.

Trailblazers gather in Minneapolis

Tradeswomen Build Nations

Every year, the number of participants at the North American Tradeswomen BuildNations conference grows.


By Corry Anderson-FennellBCBT Communications Director

There is a crisis in construction, andwomen are part of the solution.

According to BuildForce Canada,254,800 people, or 21 per cent of thecurrent construction workforce, isexpected to retire by 2027. That’s14,000 more people retiring than areexpected to enter the constructionindustry over the same period.

The outlook for British Columbia isespecially grim. BuildForce data indi-cates that 40,800 construction work-ers will retire by 2027, and only32,800 people will enter the industry.BuildForce notes, “The growing rateof retirements and the less than ade-quate supply of locally availablereplacement workers will mean theindustry will, with increasing regulari-ty, be required to recruit workersfrom outside the province’s construc-

tion sector or outside the industry.”“We’ve got a skilled trades short-

age in B.C. and the rest of Canada,and hiring and retaining women areamong the ways we can manage thisshortage and ensure our provinceremains prosperous,” saidInternational Union of OperatingEngineers Local 115 commercialtransportation mechanic ChelseaFrench, who is also co-chair of BuildTogetHER, the women’s committee ofthe BC Building Trades.

And these aren’t the only benefitsto hiring women. The CanadianApprenticeship Forum developed abusiness case for hiring women onthe job site. According to the study,women give organizations a competi-tive advantage through increased pro-ductivity, enhanced reputation andemployer loyalty. Women-dominatedteams have an eye for detail, and they

bring a perspective that supports suc-cessful business strategies.

“Even though jobs in constructionare some of the most well-paid andrewarding ways to make a living,women make up only four per cent ofthe industry,” notes Ashley Duncan,co-chair of Build TogetHER BC andvice-president of the BC InsulatorsLocal 118. “There are a lot of reasonsfor that, but among them is that manyin the industry haven’t yet figured outthe competitive advantage they havewhen women are on the job site.”

While not unique to the construc-tion industry, another study by theCalifornia-based Anita Borg Institutefound that organizations committedto improving the balance of women inthe workforce benefit from improvedoperational and financial performance,increased innovation, better problem-solving skills, and more effective team-work.

If you don’t like reading researchpapers and studies, it all boils down tothis: Hire women. Do better.

Hiring women is smart

Attendees at the Tradeswomen Build Nations conference participating in a day of service for Second Harvest Heartland.

Apprentice carpenters Barbara Jamesand Aynsley Homenuk, advocates forwomen in the trades.


view From ottAwA By Arlene dunn

Speaking of politics…Chief executive officer for Canada’s building trades unions

Thank you to everyone who votedand the candidates who ran. Choosingthe right candidate isn’t always easy,especially since it has become more andmore difficult to distinguish betweenrandom facts and fabrications.

Congratulations also go out to PrimeMinister Trudeau and his team, as welook forward to continuing the work wedo to further the causes that are impor-tant to our members and all workingCanadians.

I am sure many of you feel you're pol-iticked-out. However, now is not thetime to let apathy set in, for it isbetween elections that real opportunityfor change exists. We can capitalize onthis time by meeting with our electedofficials and pushing forward on our pri-orities.

Regardless of political leanings, it’simportant to maintain focus on our pri-orities, the most paramount of which isto continue to build Canada with skilled,unionized tradespeople from coast tocoast to coast. Our priorities outlinedahead of the election remain the same: Incorporate a skilled trades mobili-ty program into our tax system

Having construction workers travel toget to their jobs is difficult and costly,considering the lack of tax incentives todo so. Construction workers, who actu-ally build something of value, aredeprived of the ability to write off traveland accommodation expenses, which isnot the case for other professionalssuch as salespeople. This is an unfair tax

consequence. Governments frequentlyuse tax breaks as a preferred instrumentof public policy. Invest in energy infrastructure;build a national energy corridorthat includes pipeline and supportsclimate change goals and createsjobs for our members

Canada’s Building Trades Unions havelong been advocates for energy infra-structure. When compared to otherways to move energy, pipeline trans-portation produced between 61 and 77per cent fewer greenhouse gas emis-sions than rail, according to a study outof the University of Alberta. Building anational energy corridor is vital to get-ting our resources to markets. Apply Community BenefitsAgreements on public infrastruc-ture projects and level the playingfield for underrepresented groups

Community Benefits Agreements(CBAs) can secure work, skills trainingand fair wages to qualified local resi-dents and groups who are traditionallyunderrepresented in the skilled tradessector. Predetermined wages, trainingand worker ratios ensure greateraccountability. Provide apprenticeship opportuni-ties through infrastructure invest-ment to grow a skilled tradesworkforce

Apprentices graduate with a portable,recognized credential affording themgood pay and benefits to support them-selves and their families. Continuous

skills upgrading addresses the concernsof businesses for a safe, skilled craftworkforce. A healthy and viable unionconstruction training system is a provenavenue to restore the Canadian middleclass and bring dignity and security backto the workplace. Decisive action for an asbestos-freeCanada

Canada reached a historic milestoneon Dec. 30, 2018. After 130 years as aleading exporter of asbestos, Canadafinally banned its use, import and export.Now the door is open for Canada todevelop a comprehensive strategy toaddress the legacy of asbestos in ourbuildings, infrastructure and environ-ment. We must also deal with the impactof diseases resulting from past and cur-rent asbestos exposures. The Canadiangovernment needs to: • establish a national asbestos agency • mandate the agency, in cooperation

with Indigenous peoples, theprovinces, territories and municipali-ties, to develop a comprehensiveCanadian asbestos strategy and animplementation plan

• as a first step, work with the provinceson establishing a mesotheliomapatient registry Brothers and sisters, let us recommit

ourselves and work harder to ensurewe continue to not only build Canada,but train the next generation with theskills they need to learn their trade,increase our capacity and best representour movement.


By Corry Anderson-Fennelland Tom Sigurdson

The 2019 federal election is over, butour work is just beginning.

The Liberal minority requires supportfrom other MPs in order to pass legisla-tion. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’soptions are to gather support on an ad-hoc basis or create a formal coalition ina confidence and supply agreement–orperhaps a combination of the two,depending on the legislation. InTrudeau’s post-election press confer-ence, the Prime Minister seemed tofavour seeking support on the ad hocbasis as opposed to entering any formalagreement with one or more opposi-tion parties. Governing will be a chal-lenge.

For the Building Trades, we are com-mitted to keeping our infrastructurespending priorities in focus for theminority Liberals and any alliances thatwill be drawn with Jagmeet Singh’s NewDemocrats and the Green Party. Wewill also work with the Liberals and theConservatives as we advocate for the

Trans Mountain Pipeline. In short, wehave a big job ahead of us ensuring thatall the parties and both new and return-ing MPs understand the work we do.

While the Liberal government hassupported our work through fundingfor our union training centres, grantsand other incentives for skilled tradesworkers, we’ve seen the damage aConservative government can pose tounions. In 2011, after getting his firstmajority government, then PrimeMinister Stephen Harper attacked organized labour with bills C-377 andC-525, which would have made it diffi-cult for labour unions to function. Hadthe Trudeau government not beenelected in 2015 and put a stop to thosebills, we would likely have seen so-called “Right to Work” laws acrossmany provincial jurisdictions by thistime. Workers in Right to Work stateshave some of the poorest wage, benefitsand security provisions in NorthAmerica and that is what theHarper/Scheer (and now Doug Ford inOntario, Jason Kenney in Alberta andBrian Pallister in Manitoba) want to

deliver to their anti-union partners.The Scheer Conservatives have not

demonstrated they would have beenany friendlier to the Building Trades.Imagine our shock, on the eve of theelection, when Scheer finally unveiledthe Conservative platform and itrevealed he would delay billions of dol-lars in federal infrastructure spending inorder to balance the budget within fiveyears. Yes, we do indeed have our workcut out for us.

By contrast, we’ve been buoyed bythe activities of the federal Liberals intheir previous mandate, and our expec-tations remain high that this will contin-ue. For example, we are eager to seethe implementation of a federalCommunity Benefits program. LiberalMP Ramesh Sangha’s re-election signalsa continued pursuit of his private mem-ber’s bill that would authorize theMinister of Public Works to require anexplanation of anticipated communitybenefits when construction bids aresubmitted for federal infrastructureprojects. In Sangha’s own words, thisCommunity Benefits Act would “providefor community participation so they canachieve their fair share of the federalgovernment’s spending” and ensure“reliable growth and meaningfulemployment.”

Sangha’s bill will have to be re-intro-duced in the new Parliament, hopefullyas a government (not private members’bill) which when passed will hold con-tractors working on federally fundedprojects to account for greater commu-nity benefits such as having apprenticeson the projects, more women in thetrades and Indigenous inclusion.

Ultimately, we share the priorities ofCanada’s Building Trades Unions, and wewill lobby the MPs in the newParliament hard to see these prioritiessupported.

Results not bad and could have been

much worse

Federal election analysis

Everyone at Koskie Glavin Gordon extends their congratulations to BC Building Trades Executive Director Tom Sigurdson on his well-deserved retirement

Koskie Glavin Gordon gives unions and employees access to over 50 lawyers, including leading practitioners in labour law, pensions

actions and employee side general litigation.

Toronto, we will work to put together the right team with the right skills to get the best results in the most

and how we can assist you or your organization, please go to koskieglavin.com or contact any of our lawyers directly.

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Articles by David HogbenOpportunities for careers in B.C.’s

unionized construction industry existlike no time in living memory.

“I have lived here my whole life. Ihave never seen it like this. Never,” saidbusiness rep Byron Rilling of thePlumbers and Pipefitters Local 170.Young men and women crowded intothe job fair at the union hall of the

International Union of OperatingEngineers Local 115 in Burnaby this fall.

Young British Columbians–and someolder ones–lined up to try the IUPATDC 38 augmented reality painting trainer, the Operating Engineers heavyequipment simulators and to hear how union pension plans, pay and other benefits outmatch those of non-union companies and employer

friendly unions.The packed auditorium reflected the

unprecedented demand for skilled,unionized construction workers.

“We bring people in the front doorin the morning and they go out theback door in the afternoon,” Rilling saidof the current labour situation.

Representatives from several B.C.Building Trades' member unions saidthe heavy turnout was the result ofB.C.’s booming economy, workerswanting quality union training and quali-ty union jobs, with good pay, benefitsand pensions, and the provincial gov-ernment’s Community BenefitsAgreements.

Some recently graduated female high-school students–and theirmothers–were among those checkingout the training and employmentopportunities.

“I am currently taking a trade sam-pler program in Chilliwack that is sup-posed to give you an idea of the differ-ent trades,” said Magdalena Stroniarz,19, of North Vancouver, as she took abreak from visiting the various booths.

Stroniarz said the trade sampler pro-gram at the University of the FraserValley and the job fair were helping herdecide what career she would pursue.Her current favourites include welding,electrical and climbing arborist.

Stroniarz said she was drawn to thetrades because she enjoys working withher hands, wants to make good moneyand does not mind working at heights.

“Directly after I graduated fromschool I started house painting–exteri-or and interior,” she said.

Her mother, Christina Price, an elementary school teacher, said she was also tempted by some of theopportunities.

“There is quite the range. There areso many options,” she remarked. Price

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Roy BizzuttoBusiness Manager, Secretary-TreasurerCraftmanship—Prosperity—Responsibility

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Eager young people want toget into the unionized trades

Surging interest in the tradescoincides with unprecedenteddemand for workers.


said she might have chosen the trades,rather than teaching, if the same oppor-tunities had existed earlier in her life. “Ithink I might have, yes,” she said.

Lindsey Scott, 30, worked the con-trols of the International Union ofOperating Engineers heavy equipmentsimulator while her mother IreneAstley looked over her shoulder.

Astley has a good career as a finan-cial accountant, and now works for theInternational Brotherhood of ElectricalWorkers, but if things had been differ-ent when she was younger, she mighthave pursued a career in the trades,instead of accounting.

“Accounting has done me really well.It paid the mortgage and it paid thebills, but I would have loved to havegone out and done something like thisto work with my hands,” she said.Gender stereotyping reached right intohigh school. “Sewing and cooking homeeconomics-style courses were all thatwere offered when I was in gradeschool. I wasn’t even allowed to takeshop. It just was not allowed.”

Scott currently works in a ware-house, but has reached the limit of theopportunities and income she canreceive there.

She wants more from a career,including more money and moreopportunities to learn.

“I go into work right now and it’s thesame thing every day,” she said.

Neither Price nor Astley were overly

concerned that their daughters wouldface on-the-job harassment in the male-dominated construction industry.

“I see the young women coming intothe office as electricians. They haveconfidence, earn a good wage andaccept no harassment. In fact, the IBEWputs on courses to stop that sort ofthing,” Astley said.

Price said she and her daughter areaware that harassment is not acceptedin the industry as it once was.

“I also know her. She can stand herown. She can give back as much as shereceives,”

International Union of OperatingEngineers Local 115 organizer JohnMunro said he fielded a lot of questionsfrom prospective members wanting tocheck out opportunities at the 40-acreMaple Ridge training centre.

“We had a few guys coming up ask-ing about apprenticeships for weldingand millwrights,” Munro said. “Theyhave taken a few foundation coursesand they are asking if we acceptapprentices.”

In addition to the young peopleexploring trades training opportunities,many more experienced constructionworkers also came to check out theopportunities.

Some non-union workers and thosein employer-friendly unions were readyto be dispatched to work the weekafter the job fair.

“Yes, I have had a few non-union and

CLAC (Christian Labour Association ofCanada) people coming in here today. Iam already looking at stripping a fewguys out of CLAC companies,” Munrosaid. The union pension plan is far supe-rior to the RRSP plan CLAC membersmust settle for.

Teamsters Local 213 project co-ordi-nator Alex Bruse said demand was highfor Site C camp workers and securityworkers for the Trans MountainPipeline and the Kitimat LNG plant.

Bruse said he could send someworkers straight to the Site C hydroconstruction project on the PeaceRiver if qualified applicants walkedthrough the door. “Absolutely, yes,” hesaid, then added that he was ready tohire a couple dozen more for thepipeline and LNG. “We hope maybe athird to 50 per cent will be women,”he said.

William Maarsman, IBEW Local 213business manager, said the TradesOpportunity Group that put on themulti-union job fair was, in part, intend-ed to help overcome the lack of trustthat sometimes exists between differentunions. “Individually, we all do a goodjob. Now we are doing it collectively.”

He said it is well accepted evenamong non-union workers that uniontraining centres are the highest quality.

“The best training centres are union.Our training centre has a 97 per centsuccess rate,” he said. “We set peopleup for success, not for failure.”

“There is no question it’s an excit-ing time for the B.C. constructionindustry,” provincial Finance MinisterCarole James said in an interview.

James said the NDP governmentinvested more than $20 billion in newinfrastructure and improvements inthe first two years of its mandate. As a result, the provincial construc-tion industry created about 10,000new jobs in 2018, a growth of 4.3 per cent.

“That would include everythingfrom schools, to hospitals, roads,bridges, colleges and housing. Thechallenge is we have a huge numberof job vacancies right now.”

Not only is the economy booming,but many qualified constructionworkers are getting ready to retire.

“If you look at the next 10 yearsyou are looking at about 71,000 jobsin construction with retirements andopenings coming up,” she said.

Of the BC Building Trades' job fair,she said, “It is a hugely exciting

opportunity for young people andpeople who are transitioning jobs andlooking for a new career to reallylook seriously at trades and seriouslyat construction.”

Community Benefits Agreements,aimed at training and employingwomen, Indigenous people, and localworkers now, are critically importantto the economy right now, she said.“We really see this as the opportuni-ty not only for women, IndigenousPeople and other workers, but anopportunity for all of B.C.

“Our government has made majorinvestments in the people of thisprovince. Because really it is the peo-ple–the workers each and everyday–who grow the economy.”

Women, Indigenous workers andlocal workers must be trained tomeet the looming demand for skilledworkers. “The CBAs really say that asa government we have to do ourpart. We have to take our responsibil-ity to train the next generation to

ensure that those jobs can be filledby British Columbians.

“We made a commitment thatwhen we spent public dollars...theywould go towards training, would gotowards apprenticeships. As a govern-ment we have to do our part,” Jamessaid.

NDP government doing its part for training


By M. MalatestaConcrete pumping work is going

through a revolutionary upgrade toaddress change thanks to a new trainingand certification process. The joint effortbetween the BC Building Trades andconstruction and concrete contractorsis focused on improving safety and tak-ing the skill development involved inoperating cement pump trucks to a new level.

“The work to create a certificationprogram in B.C. started in about 2014,”said Josh Towsley, assistant businessmanager for the International Union ofOperating Engineers Local 115. “Therewas already a push to amend the CSAstandards after a fatal workplace inci-dent involving a concrete pump inOntario. He said the incident was inves-tigated by the Ontario coroner whorecommended strengthening the CSAstandard to include a formal certificationprocess that demonstrates the compe-tencies necessary to ensure the safety ofworkers in construction.

Towsley said Local 115 in B.C. wasamong the first to heed that call and,along with the BC Building Trades, gottogether with the BC ConstructionSafety Alliance (BCCSA), a provincewideadvocacy group of both labour and con-tractor representatives. This September,

the group announced the creation ofthe first certified training program forconcrete pump operators in NorthAmerica.

“We played a leading role in the pilottesting of this program,” said Towsley,“and we commend the BCCSA in itsleadership in bringing business andlabour together in the interests of con-struction industry safety.” he said. “Wehave run our own non-certified training(for concrete pump operators) in thepast. This takes it to a new level. Nowthere’s a standardized process for oper-ating pump trucks. You write an examand a third party watches how you setup the truck, run the equipment andinteract with the crew. Once the evalua-tion is done you either pass or fail.”

Fulford Certification, the organizationthat oversees the training and certifica-tion for crane operators, is supervisingthe new training as well. The program iscurrently voluntary for contractors.Towsley would like to see it mademandatory for everyone. “It just makessense,” he said. “It puts everyone on alevel playing field and ensures everyoneis properly trained and knows the rules.”

Concrete, according to industrysources, is the most common buildingmaterial. As buildings become taller andmore complex in design, the need for

more powerful and challenging concretepumping methods and systems becomesmore apparent.

“It is often necessary to pump ready-mixed concrete, at very high pressure,through a complex system of pipes toreach the right spot on the constructionsite. The operators who control thisoften-dangerous pumping process nowhave a safety skills standard againstwhich to be measured. This is one of themost important parts of building con-struction, and one of the most danger-ous,” said Mike McKenna, executivedirector of the BCCSA, in a newsrelease. “While people operating suchheavy equipment must be trained to dothis work, surprisingly no formal pro-grams are in place anywhere in NorthAmerica to certify their knowledge oron-site performance capabilities. This iswhere British Columbia has taken the lead to improve safety on construc-tion sites.”

Provincewide consultations were heldin 2015 and were followed in 2016 bypilot testing of pump operators byindustry experts. In order to gain indus-try-wide acceptance, the program wascreated to meet International StandardsOrganization requirements and to beaccredited by American NationalStandards Institute.

Certification takes concrete pumping to new level

23 Tradetalk Magazine 2019 Find a Trade Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 23

By Megan Terepocki

Julie Sawatsky, a member of the B.C.Regional Council of Carpenters, is oneof five new apprenticeship advisorshired by the Industry Training Authority(ITA) this fall.

“I see the job as a real support forworkers, being a voice for workers,”she said. Sawatsky will be assistingapprentices and employer sponsorsnavigate the apprenticeship system.

She brings 25 years of experience asa Red Seal carpenter, along with manyyears of service promoting the skilledtrades, especially to people under-rep-resented in the trades. She also chairs aprogram for women in the trades. Shehas worked as a career counsellor andadult educator in her fields of expertiseand with youth at risk.

As apprenticeship advisors, she said,“We help to support over a hundredtrades, from hair styling to cooks, toautomotive and construction...There’sa concept that trades are somethingyou do because you can’t do anythingelse,” she said. “The trades are ahuge industry. They pay well. They arefor skilled, smart people and a way toopen doors.”

She calls it, “the ‘other’ four-yeardegree.”

The need to increase the number ofadvocates in the system was identifiedin the McDonald report (part of B.C.’sBlueprint for Jobs issued by the B.C.Government in 2013/14). The 29 rec-

ommendations from the report–theresult of public consultation–resulted in15 regional apprenticeship advisorsbeing placed on the ground at thattime. In part, this need was driven bythe forecasting of job growth due tonew infrastructure projects.

“The idea of the apprenticeship advisor was that they would be con-necting, coaching and supportingapprentices and employers as well asthe whole apprenticeship community,”she said.

“Number one is building those relationships.”

Advisors provide resources to indus-try and information about industrychanges, such as the harmonization oftraining requirements for Red Sealtrades across Canada. The overall goalof the advisors is to improve the num-ber of completed apprenticeships in thesystem.

The new advi-sors will also helpto address regionaldisparities thathave existedacross theprovince. “Therewas lots of need in rural andremote communi-ties and some ofthe Indigenousnations are inareas that justweren’t being

serviced,” said Sawatsky. There is also a focus on diversity and

inclusion within apprenticeships. “Sohaving more Indigenous participants,more women in the trades. We’re reallysupporting and sustaining those appren-tices as well as the other 37,000apprentices that we already have in oursystem.

“The recent appointments meanthere will be more one-on-one supportfor people who might be having difficul-ty with the process and maybe notcompleting (their apprenticeships),” shesaid, “making sure that students are getting their hours logged, helping themto rewrite their exams or helping themto understand their role in the process and ask the right questions toemployers.

“We’re coming back to a really goodsystem where there’s more access toindividuals for help.”

José

Lam

car

toon

Apprenticeship advisorsAdvice and mentorship to boost completion rates

24 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Winter 201924 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Winter 2019

By Roberta Sheng-Taylor Manager Industry & LabourServices, Construction

Silica is one of the most commonhazards on a worksite, with exposurebeing most prevalent in the construc-tion industry. It is estimated that nearly400,000 Canadian workers areexposed to silica dust every year.

Silica crystals are found in naturalmaterials such as sand, sandstone, gran-ite, clay, shale and slate. Activity thatcreates dust can expose workers toairborne silica. Some common silica-containing materials found on con-struction sites are: • concrete, concrete block, cement and

mortar• masonry, tiles, brick and refractory

brick• granite, sand, fill dirt and top soil• asphalt containing rock or stone• abrasive used for blasting

Silica dust is the most widespreadairborne hazard on a work site. If youdo one of the following activities, youare at risk of being exposed to silicadust.• chipping, sawing, grinding, hammering

or drilling • crushing, loading, hauling or dumping • building demolition • power cutting or dressing stone

• facade renovation, including tuck-point work

• abrasive or hydro blasting • dry sweeping or pressurized air

blowing • tunneling, excavating or moving earth

How much dust is too much?For most of Canada, the eight-hour

exposure limit for crystalline silica isonly 0.025 milligrams per cubic metreof air. It’s very likely that if you arestanding in a cloud of dust on a con-struction site, you have been overex-posed.

Inhaling microscopic particles of sili-ca can permanently damage your lungs.Symptoms and diseases can developafter years of exposure to relativelylow concentrations of airborne silicaor as short a period of months afterexposure to significantly higher con-centrations. This takes into accountindividual factors such as age andhealth of the exposed worker whichplays a significant role in the suscepti-bility of contracting an occupationaldisease. Exposures can lead to diseasessuch as silicosis, autoimmune disordersand lung cancer.

Preventing exposure to silica dustThe key to avoiding exposure and

the risk of silica disease is to makesure the dust is controlled at itssource. When this isn’t possible, youmust wear personal protective equip-ment such as a respirator.You shouldalso ensure certain safety guidelinesare in place. This includes:• engineering controls such as local

exhaust ventilation or water spraysystems to reduce dust levels

• barriers and signage to restrictaccess to unprotected workers

• availability of appropriate PPE such asrespirators and protective clothing

• training on the dangers of silicaexposure and how to properly usedust controls and PPE

What is an exposure control plan?An exposure control plan is a docu-

ment developed by the employer thatcan manage the multiple controlsimplemented to ensure workers, whoare involved in an activity that gener-ates silica, are properly protected.These plans should include:• employer and worker responsibilities• risk assessments• silica dust controls• worker education and training• written safe-work procedures

• health monitoring

What do I do to avoid exposure? If there is the potential for you to be

exposed to silica dust in your work-place, you can do the following:• learn about the control methods that

can protect you• ask your supervisor how you will be

protected when performing dustywork

• follow safe work procedures, and userespiratory protection

• talk to your family doctor, who mayrecommend medical monitoring

Online silica control toolTo aid in the development of expo-

sure control plans, the Silica ControlTool was created. Developed by theBC Construction Safety Alliance, in col-laboration with WorkSafeBC and theUniversity of B.C., this online resourceenables employers to determine silicaexposure levels in their workplace andhelps employers develop an exposure-control plan.

With the silica tool, you can gener-ate a custom-exposure control plan foryour particular work activities. Theonline tool works on desktops, tabletsand smart phones–and exposure con-trol plans can be managed and storedelectronically.

The silica tool is currently availableon the BCCSA website at bccsa.ca/sili-ca-control-tool.html.

For more information on preventingexposure to silica in your workplace,visit worksafebc.com/silica.

Protecting yourself fromharmful exposure to silica dust

JoB Safety

WorkSafeBC

Teleclaim centre openfrom 8 am to 6 pm

Workers who've been injured on thejob can call WorkSafe B.C.'sTeleclaim Centre between 8 a.m.and 6 p.m. to file a report. A repre-sentative will complete the injuryreport, explain the claims processand help direct the worker to otherservices if necessary. The worker’semployer is then notified of theinjury and both the worker andemployer can follow the status ofthe claim online.

Call 1-888-WORKERS (1-888-967-5377) or #5377 on your cell phone if you

subscribe to Telus Mobility, Rogers or

Bell Mobility.

Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 25Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 25

Protect yourself from silica dust exposureSilica can be found in many types of building materials and repeated exposures can cause serious lung diseases.

Find resources at worksafebc.com/silica

26 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Winter 201926 tradetalk BC BUILDING TRADES / Winter 2019

Everyone at Koskie Glavin Gordon extends their congratulations to BC Building Trades Executive Director Tom Sigurdson on his well-deserved retirement

Koskie Glavin Gordon gives unions and employees access to over 50 lawyers, including leading practitioners in labour law, pensions

actions and employee side general litigation.

Toronto, we will work to put together the right team with the right skills to get the best results in the most

and how we can assist you or your organization, please go to koskieglavin.com or contact any of our lawyers directly.

koskieglavin.com 1650-409 Granville Street T 604.734.8001

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By Merrill O'DonnellBCBT Workers' Advocate

The pullout of the B.C. businesscommunity from the Workers’Compensation Review in August was adisheartening, if not totally unexpected,action by a group of so-called businessleaders who are used to getting theirway in a province led by a Liberal gov-ernment whose modus operandi wasto serve the interests of capital by sell-ing workers short. With the election ofthe NDP government, the desires ofthe business community are not beingfulfilled as promptly and seamlessly asthey were under the Liberals. Such isthe nature of social democracy, the ide-ological school of thought the NDP isrepresentative of. It’s not the idealsolution for ensuring equity in a struc-turally inequitable economic system(i.e., capitalism), but it’s far better thanwhat the BC Liberals foisted uponBritish Columbians for 17 agonizingyears.

But now the business community iscrying foul and all the usual suspectshave expressed their profound dismaywith how the government has handledthe WCB Review. “We can no longerlend any credibility to the review byparticipating in a process which webelieve lacks independence, impartialityand balance,” states the letter from 46business organizations announcing theirrefusal to participate. “We just want afair and independent process,” saidDoug Alley, managing director of theEmployers’ Forum.

“We are willing to participate in abalanced and impartial process toreview the system; however, the writinghas been on the wall from the verybeginning that the review lacked objec-tivity,” cried Richard Truscott, B.C. andAlberta vice president of the CanadianFederation of Independent Business.And, of course, the BC Chamber ofCommerce echoed the concerns oftheir paymasters: “when it comes tothe current WorkSafeBC review, we arenot seeing…[a] balanced, fair, indepen-dent approach.”

The response from the businesscommunity is disingenuous, indicative ofa highly selective amnesia, and charac-teristic of an oft-repeated, true-to-formfocus on profit instead of workers’health and safety. But before fleshingout the real reasons for their response,let me provide some background forthose who didn’t follow the WCBReview.

After almost two decades of thelabour movement pounding on the gov-ernment’s table (the B.C. Liberal gov-ernment’s table for 17 years, and theB.C. NDP’s table since they got elect-ed), pleading for changes to the WCBlaws, policies and procedures, Ministerof Labour Harry Bains decided toreview the WCB system. As a result, inMarch 2019, he appointed JanetPatterson, a retired labour lawyer withan unrivalled expertise in workers’compensation matters, to undertake a“focused review” of the WCB system.Fundamental to this review was aprovincewide public consultationprocess where Patterson met one-on-one with injured workers, employers,advocates and many others in 14 citiesover a period of three months. All ofthe 20-minute interviews were record-ed with interviewees given free rein toexpress their views–positive or nega-tive–on the WCB system and how itcould be improved. Then, in August,Patterson sent out a list of “selectedissues” upon which she was seekingfurther feedback.This letter trig-gered the pulloutof the businesscommunity. Theirstated reasons forpulling out wasthat the “selectedissues” completelyaltered the scopeof the “focusedreview” to a com-prehensive exami-nation of allaspects of theworkers’ compen-sation system.Balderdash! Giventhat Patterson hadto submit hercomplete reportto the minister bySept. 30, it wouldhave been impossi-ble to undertake acomprehensivereview of allaspects of theWCB system!

So, what is the business community’s realbeef? Simply this:Business is notgetting its way and it doesn't like

it. And what is their prime concern? Profit.

This is a good time to remind thebusiness community that the BCLiberals made changes to the WCB sys-tem without any concern for indepen-dence, impartiality or balance. Businessdidn’t protest when their chosen gov-ernment promulgated legislation andpolicies that eliminated injured work-ers’ pensions for life, drastically low-ered wage loss benefits, eviscerated themedical evaluation process and reori-ented the vision and culture of theboard to serve the interests of capitalinstead of workers. And have they for-gotten that it was Alan Winter, from thebig downtown employer-side law firm,who made the recommendations tothe Liberal government back in 2001which gave birth to Bills 49 and 63which decimated the WCB system?Have they forgotten that it was thesame Alan Winter who was retained bythe Employers’ Coordinating Group(consisting of many of the same organi-zations involved in the recent pullout)who were plugging for “business-friend-ly” changes during the RoyalCommission on Workers’Compensation reform back in 1996?Fact is, a leading business-friendlylawyer rewrote the Workers’Compensation Act in 2002, and the

Reprehensible behaviour

Business community doesn't understand who creates value

Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 27Winter 2019 / BC BUILDING TRADES tradetalk 27

business community ate it up like cot-ton candy. Independence? Impartiality?Balance? Give your head a shake!

Let no one make the mistake thatthe society in which we live translatesinto an equitable social order. Nothingcould be further from the truth. Thefoundation of our society, like all pre-ceding societies, is economic, not politi-cal. Capitalism rules. And capitalismdoes not create equity and balance insociety; it creates opposingclasses–business on one side andlabour on the other. Governments inthis economic system try to balancethese opposing forces, but they willinvariably lean to the side of businessor labour. Their ideological characterdictates who they favour–capital orlabour. The BC Liberals clearly favourbusiness. Now, the B.C. NDP govern-ment, who support labour more, mayprovide a little relief to injured workersby making long overdue changes to theWCB system.

The fact that the business communityhas failed to realize the pressing needfor these changes, and has pulled out ofthe WCB Review process, is a darkmark against them. Workers’ health andsafety–and their very lives–hang in thebalance of this WCB Review and othermore comprehensive reviews that willhopefully follow. It is reprehensible thatthe business community has removed

itself from the process. There is a deep-seated failure on the

part of the business community tounderstand that labour is the source ofvalue. Their inability to realize this wasrevealed in the very first line of thestatement re

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