BC Building Trades
207, 88-10th St V3M 6H8 New Westminster, BC, Canada

Nice piece in the Journal of Commerce on the positive impact of CBAs on a diverse workforce. "CBAs were structured to allow for underrepresented groups to enter and start to fill that gap that exists." -IUOE Canadian director Lionel Railton

Well, maybe we're just biased but we think construction is beautiful! These photos prove it. Big thanks to the British Columbia Regional Council of Carpenters for sharing!

This.... We're in awe of our amazing members. Thank you to everyone involved in the production of this video, and especially to BCRCC Sisters in the Brotherhood members for sharing their voices.

We continue to be in great hands!

Congrats to our ED Andrew Mercier! We know he’ll be a phenomenal voice for workers in Victoria.

This is interesting. Of the 1,589 COVID claims submitted to WorkSafeBC, 506 have been allowed. That's just 32 per cent. Compare that with Ontario, with 7,752 COVID claims submitted and 5,905 allowed, for an acceptance rate of 76 per cent.... Alberta's rate is closer to Ontario's, with an acceptance rate of 70 per cent.

Finally. But he was allowed to stick around long enough to oppose universal child care, the BC Human Rights Commission and the SOGI 123 anti-bullying program in public schools. Too little. Too late.

This is unfortunate. Interestingly, it was the former BC Liberal government that introduced a "suite of new LNG industry taxes" that contributed to various LNG proponents cancelling their projects. From the story: Developing an LNG income tax before an industry was even up and running had a significant and serious implication for the industry, said Woodfibre LNG president David Keane.... After John Horgan’s BC NDP formed government in 2017, it agreed to cancel the LNG tax, as well as special electricity rates for LNG that the Liberals had introduced. Once LNG was placed on the same footing as other heavy industries, partners in the LNG Canada project announced a $40 billion final investment decision.

We hear from tradeswomen all the time who report being told they're a "distraction" on construction sites. Carpenter Kristine Byers, with British Columbia Regional Council of Carpenters, wrote these prophetic words in the New West Record back in March: "As a carpenter, I had applied for a job with a construction firm, and they had emailed me to come in for an interview. When I arrived at the company office, the human resources manager escorted me to the owner’s office and t...hen left the room. As soon as the door was closed, the owner confided that he would never hire a woman because they are 'distracting,' they’re only in construction to 'find a husband,' and other asinine assertions." Garbage like this helps further those views.

Wishing a quick recovery for these workers.

Calling all women of the BC Building Trades!

Our provincial economy continues to recover from the pandemic, with "a leap forward" (Business in Vancouver's words!), adding 54,800 jobs and slashing unemployment by 2.3%. A cautionary note for our sector, though: construction led the losses with a decline of 14,600 jobs. That's why announcements like yesterday's commitment by the NDP to a $9 billion infrastructure plan that includes a Surrey-Langley SkyTrain are so important.

Woot! The NDP's $9 billion in overall infrastructure funding will create 18,000 jobs a year for transit, roads and other projects. Thrilled to see Langley NDP candidate Andrew Mercier announcing the SkyTrain extension with NDP leader John Horgan this morning. Andrew is on leave from his position as executive director of the BC Building Trades, but he's still fighting for good, family-supporting jobs and vital infrastructure south of the Fraser.

While Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson rambles on about cancelling Community Benefits Agreements, he conveniently neglects to mention the BC Liberals used the similarly-styled Project Labour Agreements for decades - and the camp agreements attached to them. #DontLetTheFactsGetInTheWayOfAGoodStory

This is a striking, positive shift: "The establishment of safe supply programs, where alternatives to opioids can be prescribed by health professionals, is endorsed by 70% of Canadians and 78% of Americans. This proposal used to be more contentious, particularly with centre-right voters. Right now, 81% of Republicans in the United States and 62% of Conservative Party voters in Canada are in favour of it." #stopthestigma

This ... "Only an idiot would ever believe that draining the provincial treasury of an amount of funding that is three times more than the cost of Gordon Campbell’s 25 percent income tax cut in 2001 won’t lead to massive cuts in health care, education, child protection, and other crucial public services." That's from Martyn Brown, former premier Gordon Campbell's chief of staff, lamenting Andrew Wilkinson's PST that, if enacted, "would bankrupt BC."... Worth reading from beginning to end. To be enjoyed with your PST-exempt microwave popcorn. https://www.straight.com//martyn-brown-wilkinsons-pst-long

IBEW 213 members have been on strike against Ledcor LTS for a year, fighting for a first collective agreement. Huge thank you to Carlos Andrew Carvalho for producing this impactful video from yesterday's rally in support of these workers! #ShameOnLedcor

Workers with IBEW 213 have been on strike for a year fighting for a first contract with Ledcor LTS. Nope, that's not a typo - A YEAR. This morning, Building Trades members joined our friends in the labour movement to stand with striking workers and demand progress toward a collective agreement. Solidarity forever.

Our affiliate unions and contractors giving back to community - like they do. Kudos, LiUNA1611 and IUOE Local 115!

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day, when we honour and remember the survivors of Canada's residential school system. This video is incredibly difficult to watch, but watch we must. Thank you to all the survivors who share their stories so that we can unlearn systemic racism. For more information on Orange Shirt Day and events and activities that are taking place in your community, visit orangeshirtday.org. https://youtu.be/vzAqaTjNLQU

Wow. Tell us what you really think, Martyn Brown... "Today, in what is arguably the most cynical, most dishonest, and most outright dumb all-time acts of desperate vote-buying, Wilkinson has vowed to scrap B.C.’s seven percent provincial sales for a year and then cut it to three per cent the next year." And he goes on:... "It will not only make public debt skyrocket even higher, in flagrant contempt of everything the B.C. Liberals have supposedly always fought against; it will demand brutally painful cuts to crucial public services that only a fool would invite upon themselves."